Umaru Shehu

Umaru Shehu (8 December 1930 – 2 October 2023) was a Nigerian physician and academic administrator. He held significant positions in several universities, including the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Maiduguri. He was the chairman of the board of directors of the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN).

Early life and education Umaru Shehu was born in Maiduguri on 8 December 1930, in the then Borno province (now Borno state) of the North-Eastern State in Northern Nigeria.

Shehu attended elementary school in Maiduguri from 1935 to 1940, followed by middle school from 1941 to 1943. From 1944 to 1947, he studied at Kaduna College in Zaria, and then proceeded to University College Ibadan from 1948 to 1953. He also spent time at the University of Liverpool in two separate periods, between 1953 and 1956, and again from 1966 to 1967. Shehu obtained his Medical degree from the University of London.

University of Maiduguri During his tenure at the University of Maiduguri, Shehu has held significant positions and made notable contributions to the institution. Since 1991, he has served as an honorary consultant physician, a position he held until his death. In recognition of his accomplishments and contributions, he was appointed as a professor emeritus in 2000. Additionally, Shehu served as the provost of the College of Medical Sciences at the university from 1991 to 1993. Furthermore, Shehu took on the responsibility of sole administrator of the University of Maiduguri from 1993 to 1994, assuming a crucial interim leadership role during that period. He was survived by his wife Tuha and his children: Mahmoud and twins Musa and Hassana.

Awards and honours Shehu held Honorary Doctor of Science Degrees of Ahmadu Bello University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In 1979, the Government of Nigeria awarded him the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), and in 2000 he was awarded the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).