Bogoro: Character, charisma of an achiever at 62


A coward loses dreams because of fragility, a cautious person loses dreams thinking of possibility, but a brave heart like Prof Elias Suleiman Bogoro, Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Fund (TetFund), has demonstrated the courage to turn them into reality. No wonder he is described within the political circle as the Think Tank of the Next level educational research development programme of President Muhammadu Buhari.
As he turns 62 in his journey of life, I want him to know that respect elevates every man, but not every man deserves it. Also, every generation has exceptional men- men who will bend iron with their bare hands. Prof Bogoro, in character, charisma and competence has aptly earned these compliments.


Again, as he celebrates 62 years of his sojourn on earth, I urge him to continue in his strides, even as we in the presidential support committee (PSC) join other well-meaning Nigerians to wish him a long life as he keeps spreading his knowledge and wealth of experience. He is not only one of the best but has also stood out among his equals.
Apart from the good work he is presently doing at TetFund, which I will not bother to enumerate in this tribute to him on his 62nd birthday, Prof Bogoro, a prolific researcher on education, with numerous publications in international and local journals, has provided extensive consultancy services on and management of international, national and regional projects supported by the World Bank, UNDP, USAID, DFID, IPCR, OSIWA, NDI, FHI, NACA, and IFES.


Prof Bogoro is among the senior and accomplished leaders providing oversight as members of the Council for the National Think Tank for Translating Research to Innovations, Strategies and Evidence for Policies in Nigeria. The leaders are academics, national professional officers, technical, business and administrative leaders selected from universities, research institutions, national agencies and the media
In Nigeria’s modern history, no one has been vindicated like Prof Bogoro.  In the initial part of his first tenure as the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, his interest in research and development (R&D) led to the creation of the Department of Research and Development (R and D) at the TETFUND.


He obtained a Bachelor Degree in Agriculture in 1981 from the University of Maiduguri, Master Degree in Animal Science from ABU, Zaria in 1988 and a Ph.D in Animal Science at the Federal University of Technology, now Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi in 1997. He was elevated to the rank of Professor of Animal Science (specialising in Biochemistry and Ruminant Nutrition) in 2003.
He has remained true to his conviction, which is to make driving of knowledge effective. Bogoro who is a professor of Animal Science believes in the conventional universities and other specialised institutions of learning which emerged to meet the needs of societies based on political expediency, professionalism and sector prioritisation.


In Prof Bogoro’s view: “As a mandate, any community-based university must be effective to the extent of the quality of teaching and research, eliciting findings of relevant problem-solving studies and applying the studies to the needs of man and society other than being mere theatres of intellectual theories”.
Specifically, the TETFund boss is of the firm conviction that universities must live up to their research policy of enhancing rapid socio-economic development. It must create and promote new programmes in science, technology, governance and public policy as well as seek interdisciplinary grants and contracts from funding agencies and corporate entities.
As a matter of principle, Prof Bogoro is convinced that the institution should promote and encourage inter-and-cross faculty activities, reward faculty who develop meaningful projects and offer them other interdisciplinary emoluments such as grants and internal research awards.


Bogoro’s labour of love and selfless service to humanity will forever remain a signature that is loud and clear. Everybody carries out their life assignments in the best way they can, but the grace with which he has carried the burden of others on his shoulders demonstrates one thing, that he is a man laden with a heart of gold.
Like the Toscanian compliment, he is tenacious in battle and in whatever his hand finds to do. He is a public servant who has demonstrated uncommon wisdom and courage in his approach to life and assignments.


Directly or indirectly, Prof Bogoro remains a mentor to many, a father to many, especially the fatherless; husband of the widows and a stubborn advocate of what is right, true and just. As the iconic anti-apartheid hero, Nelson Mandela, said a long time ago, life affords no higher pleasure than farming new wishes and seeing them gratified. Bogoro has stayed true to his name by demonstrating that naming him after King Solomon (Suleiman) was not by accident but a design by God to use him and prove a point at TetFund.
In his view and approach to life, he has camped around the righteous path. He mourned with those that mourn and celebrate with those that celebrate. That is why his life and sun can never go down.


As he turns 62, Prof Bogoro has invested enormous energy into life thus far, but a lot more still lies ahead because uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. My prayer for him is for God to grant him a long life and sound health for the task ahead.
The rain and massive outpouring of commendations, encomiums and praises on his birthday bears an eloquent testimony to his moderated and regulated lifestyle. He feels other people’s pains because he is a compassionate person. His human kindness as he has demonstrated throughout your adult life has continued to be a shining example for others to emulate. Your deep humility, where you should be bragging paralyses your critics and traducers.
The holy book says in proverb: “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall not stand before mean men. He shall stand before kings.” As he turns 62, I only wish he continues to uphold those positive values and qualities that have taken him to the height of human accomplishment.


As he marks another birthday, it is important to stress the fact that character is like a smoke; it cannot be hidden for too long. Ever humble and down to earth, Prof Bogoro has through dint of hard work, diligence and proven strength of character, earned the respect of his immediate constituency, which is academia.Our prayers for this great transformer is that after after his completing his giant strides at TetFund, he should be given a greater responsibility to enable him demonstrate his leadership prowess at a more higer level
Happy birthday to a great man!
Ibrahim is director of communication and strategic planning of the Presidential Support Committee (PSC).

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