By Muhammad Kabir

It was the usual ambience: laughter, cheers, excitement and thrill. Professor Yusuf Dankofa, then Dr Yusuf Dankofa, had walked in ready to listen and assess students who were to debate the impact of colonialism on the Nigerian and, indeed, the African Legal System. I was the lead presenter.

Prof had always argued that the Nigerian Legal System as it is today did not emanate from the communal character of the African society. The learned professor would go on in every topic to emphasise the centrality of communalism to African society. He deprecated a Legal System that “concealed” the Law even from the Litigants. And after our presentation, Prof echoed to the class: “If you guys could present this good, then there is hope for the future.” It was from that presentation that Prof and I traced what had, in fact, connected him to my family long before I was born. That began a friendship and partnership that blossomed anew with every passing year.

In those cold Zaria days, every young student of Law liked to attend Legal System classes if not for anything but for the humour Prof Yusuf Dankofa was synonymous with. Prof would find a way to crack a joke even amidst the serious and often solemn realms of academia, courtroom and activism. He would render accounts of how he grew up in Ibadan to studies in Sokoto and the infamous story of his exploits in Lagos Law School with his bosom friend Caesar; every time he taught and told a story, he gave you a lesson laced with humour. Prof’s laughter was itself a trigger for even more laughter. He had this peculiar screeching sound in the background, oozing out whenever he laughed.

Throughout the years in Zaria, Prof Yusuf Dankofa would invite me to his office, ask how I was faring, and then give me any advice he could. That continued for a long time until, by some design of Providence, he became my supervisor for my final year Long Essay (Project). I wrote about the scope and extent of the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion in Nigeria. It was an opportunity to query the somewhat self-conflicting provisions of the Constitution as they relate to the individual’s right to religion, which divine Law regulates, but then the individual lives in a society governed by man-made Law. Prof was the kind of audience I needed: someone flexible to accommodate differing viewpoints. Every chapter was debated with ease in an ambience of calm, laughter and endless tease. It was one super supervision!

In the final moments of my time in Zaria as a student, as I awaited the usual financial assistance from my family, I found myself in a bind. Although Prof had approved all my chapters, the lack of funds prevented me from printing and binding my project. Prof was in a rush, having come to Zaria to wrap up his affairs, and he called me to his office to submit my work, which, regrettably, wasn’t ready. Standing in his office, I confessed, “Prof, I’m in a tough spot waiting for financial support. I’m completely out of funds and can’t afford to print and bind the project. Could I possibly have a few more days?” He looked up, met my gaze, and questioned as though he was in shock, “No funds? You? Just leave; I’ll be in touch.” A few hours later, the lovable Dr Salim Magashi, now Dean of Law, informed me that Prof had kindly offered to cover the expenses for my project, including its printing and binding, a sum that amounted to four or five thousand naira at the time. That four thousand naira was gold to me!

Years later, I rejoined the Faculty of Law as a young lecturer, and one of the many pearls of wisdom Prof. shared with me was that a lecturer must create an environment for students to thrive; he’s not the stumbling block. His job is to show the many paths available for students to choose their pursuits. I saw it in him, and in fact, he reaped from it. Many times, when you stumble upon any alumnus of the Faculty of Law, I was sure they would ask about Professor Yusuf Dankofa. I soon realised that although it sometimes remains an inadequate compensation, the reward the government does not give to lecturers for their sacrifice, investment in students may pay off someday. Every day, therefore, I wanted to pay Prof back in one way or the other.

And so, in 2016, my friend Hamza and I landed a Senatorial Election Petition brief in Kogi State. We called on Prof, and he joined the team. On our first day at the Tribunal, Prof sat in front, and wherever he turned, he saw his old students, now lawyers, waiting to exchange pleasantries. After announcing appearances and all, the Tribunal said to him, “Prof, we see your drafts, and we see they are well articulated, well crafted.” He looked at me and said: “Hey, the Tribunal is hailing you, but I take the glory; after all, I taught you”, and we laughed. Even worth recalling was the conversation Prof had with the Tribunal members. They had told him they were ready to hear the Petition the following week, but as usual, Prof had a humorous critical response. He said, “My Lords, I cannot be in court next week because of some Nigerian-induced circumstances.” I am sure the Judges heard those words for the first time. He went on: “I have a matter in Sokoto and then in Ibadan. I fear that flights will get cancelled. There is no functional public transport system. Suppose I do not take a date that reflects the inadequacies and deficiencies of our public life in Nigeria. In that case, I will fail to show up on this date,” The Tribunal conceded because, at every opportunity he got, he spoke about the government’s failures in bequeathing decent living to the people.

I am grateful to Professor Yusuf Dankofa for so many things he did for me. For example, in 2019, the Bwari Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association invited him to deliver a lecture on a topic my memory cannot now recall. He called and said, “Prepare the lecture and go to Bwari to represent me. And I said, Prof, “They probably want to see you.” He insisted I go there, and while handing over the invitation letter to me, he said: “Prof M.T Ladan gave me several opportunities in Academia. I delivered lectures for him and even used the papers as part of my conference papers submitted for promotions, and Prof M.T Ladan hasn’t stopped doing that till today. I owe you this. Go on, write it, deliver it and use it as yours” If you were paid anything, keep it, but if not, I would re-reimburse you.”

Prof sent me to Sokoto to represent his client in court, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba, the late Magajin Garin Sokoto. He penned my name for a Summit in Ibadan, the Governor Seyi Makinde National Democracy Summit, in 2021. Not only that, he recommended me twice as a resource person for a NIMASA training in Lagos. And when the late Magajin Garin Sokoto convened a meeting at his Hotel in Abuja, StoneHedge Hotel, to discuss possible ways to address the never-ending Fulani-Farmers clashes in Nigeria, particularly around Taraba and Benue, he drafted me again into the team. The list can go on and on.

Only last year, Prof, who was on sabbatical at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in Abuja, called on me to say, “There is a new University in Niger State. They offered me the Dean of Law position, and you came to mind. Would you be willing to join me in setting up this new Faculty of Law?” Gladly, I said yes. He knows of my enthusiasm for exploring new environments. A few weeks after, Prof called again to say Prof M.T Ladan had just asked him to recommend a young scholar to join a new Faculty of Law in the same Niger State, and yet again, I came to mind. He asked me to choose which of the two I wanted, and he would be okay with it. I said: “Prof, I leave the choice to you. Anywhere you send me to, I would be fine”. Then he said, “Be beside me. I want you by my side, and we will be fine together.” Only last Friday, a few days after his death, the Vice Chancellor of the university called to ask If I was still interested because although Prof passed away, he had given my name already to the University long before he passed away. After that call, I was forced into tears. Although he attempted unsuccessfully to become Dean of Law at the Faculty of Law, ABU Zaria, destiny had aligned for him to take on the deanship at a new institution. He was to be Dean before death struck on the cold morning of Tuesday after a day well spent in his chambers in Kaduna.

Pausing to contemplate the essence of Professor Yusuf Dankofa’s 61-year journey, it’s clear that, like any human, he wasn’t without flaws. There were times of struggle, moments of error, and instances where boundaries were tested. Yet, through it all, the undeniable truth remained: Yusuf Dankofa was fundamentally a good man. His life’s narrative, from his early days as an eager legal practitioner through his evolution into a passionate educator and advocate for public discourse and eventually his foray into the political arena, was driven by a singular desire for not just personal betterment but also for the welfare of his family and the broader societal good. Professor Dankofa’s commitment to these ideals painted the portrait of a life rich in purpose and service.

In closing, I take away from Prof a sterling quality of stoicism. He faced adversity with laughter, persevered through weakness, and extended help when he himself was in need. His resilience in confronting personal and professional hurdles, seemingly unfazed, leaves a lasting lesson in enduring strength and grace under pressure. It was for that reason I harboured a deep wish for Professor Dankofa to have lived longer, to witness the fulfilment of his deepest aspirations: nurturing a joyful and contented family and securing a life of comfort and stability.

May Prof Yusuf Dankofa’s soul find Allah’s mercies in his grave and on the day of reckoning. May he not account for too long before he is admitted into Jannah. Ameen.

Muhammad Kabir
Lecturer,
Department of Private Law,
Faculty of Law;
ABU Zaria