Professor Muhammad Umaru Ndagi is one of the famous Nupe professor (born in 1964).
He is a Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics and African Languages , University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Muhammad Umaru Ndagi ( born 1964 ) is a Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics in the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Abuja , Abuja , Nigeria . He had his early Qur ’anic education under his father , Alhaji Umaru Ndagi (d . 1997 ) who , until his death , was the Imam of Etsu Nuhu mosque at the Etsu Nuhu Palace in Agaie . He attended Central Primary School Agaie, Niger State ( 1969 – 1974 ); College of Arts and Islamic Studies , Minna Nigeria , Niger State ( 1974 – 1979 ) where he obtained Teachers’ Grade II Certificate. He earned a B . Ed . (Hons) degree in Islamic Studies from the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria, Nigeria in 1990 ; a master ‘ s degree in Arabic from the Khartoum International Institute for Arabic Language , Sudan in 1995 ; and a PhD in Arabic from the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria, in 2004.
PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS
Muhammad Umaru Ndagi was the National President of the Academic Society for Arabic Language and Literature in Nigeria ( ASALLIN) for two terms of two years each ( 2013 -2017 ) . He is an academic , a poet, and a writer who writes in Arabic and English languages. He has published five single -author books including a collection of poems titled Musings in the dark ( 2005 ); and The Phonetics of Nupe Language and its Transcription with Arabic Symbols ( 2000 ). He has 30 papers so far published in peer -reviewed local and international journals . They include “ A Thematic Exposition of the Nupe Ajami Manuscript Heritage of Northern Nigeria ” published in 2011 in Islamic Africa : A Publication of Northwestern University, Evanston , USA ; ” Muslims of Niger State: A Survey ” published in 2012 by the Oxford Department of International Development , Queen Elizabeth House , United Kingdom ; ” ﺍﻟـﻤﺠﺎﺯ ﺑﻴﻦ ﺍﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ ﻭﻧـﻮﭙﯽ : ﺩﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﻟﻐﻮﻳﺔ ﺗﻘﺎﺑﻠﻴﺔ ” published in 2015 in ALIMI : Journal of the Arabic Department , University of Ilorin , Ilorin , Nigeria.
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SEE ALSO: General Mamman Jiya Vatsa Biography
Muhammad Ndagi ‘ s area of specialization and research interests center on descriptive and contrastive linguistic analysis between Arabic and Nupe languages with specific reference to the phonetics , rhetoric and morphology of the two. He serves as a member of the Nupe Language Committee set up in 2013 by His Royal Highness , the Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar CFR . The Committee is commissioned to, among other assignments ; develop a standardized orthography and rudimentary literature for Nupe language . He co -authored Spectrum Arabic for Primary Schools ; Books 1 -6 published in 2016 by Spectrum Books Limited , Ibadan , Nigeria . He also co -authored Islamic Religious Studies for Primary Schools ; Books 1- 6 published in 2015 by the West African Book Publishers Limited, Lagos , Nigeria.
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SEE ALSO: Hajiya Fatima Lolo Biography
He has, so far , attended over 40 conferences and workshops within and outside Nigeria including the 2 nd International Conference on Arabic Language held in May 2013 in Dubai , the United Arab Emirate ; and the International Symposium on Arabic Learning Programs and Output Assessment organized in October 2013 by the National Center for Assessment in Higher Education , Riyadh , Saudi Arabia . Ndagi was a researcher on the Islam Research Programme , IRP -Abuja Project , funded by the Dutch Foreign Ministry. The research, which lasted for two years ( 2010 -2012 ), focused on Inter -faith Relations in Northern Nigeria . His contributions to Arabic studies at the secondary level of Nigeria ‘ s educational system include being the Chief Examiner for Arabic Paper 1 B at the National Examinations Council (NECO ), Minna , Niger State, Nigeria (2000 – 2004 ); Item Writer for Arabic Paper I and II for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE ) conducted by the National Examinations Council , Minna , Niger State, Nigeria ( 2000 – 2004 ); and Chief Team Leader / Examiner for the Junior School Certificate Examination ( JSCE ) conducted by the erstwhile National Board for Educational Measurement ( NBEM) , Minna , Niger State, Nigeria (1996 – 1999 ).
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SEE ALSO: Ibrahim Idris Kpotun Biography
Ndagi ‘ s membership of professional bodies includes being the Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory FCT branch of the Nigeria Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies (NATAIS ) 2001 – 2009 . He is also a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors ( ANA) as well as full member of the Nigerian Institute of management ( MNIM ). In May 2017 , Ndagi represented Nigeria at a regional workshop on text development for teaching Arabic to non- speakers in West and Central Africa, which was organized by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( ISESCO ) in Ndjamena, Republic of Chad . Muhammad Umaru Ndagi taught for three years as a Grade II teacher at the Waziri Primary School, Agaie, Niger State ( 1979 – 1982 ). He was employed by the Federal Ministry of Education in 1985 and was posted to teach Arabic at Federal Government College, Kwali , Abuja , Nigeria where he spent 20 years ( 1985 – 2005 ) as a classroom teacher.
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SEE ALSO: Aisha Ahmad Ndanusa Biography
In 2005 , Ndagi joined the services of the University of Abuja , Abuja , Nigeria where he still lectures in the Department of Linguistics and African Languages . Between 2014 – 2016 , Ndagi served as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Abuja, Abuja. Within the same period , he served on various university committees including the University Staff Development Committee and the University Examinations Monitoring Committee . He also served on the University Students Disciplinary Committee 2005 – 2009 . He was at the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC ), Abuja, Nigeria for a 12 months sabbatical leave ; from May 2016 to April 2017 . He is currently the Deputy Dean, Postgraduate School, University of Abuja , Abuja , Nigeria . He was at different times a member of some committees set up by the Niger State Government including the Niger State Committee for the Integration of Qur ‘ anic Schools with Western Education (2008 – 2009 ) and the Niger State Committee on Peace Building for Sustainable Democratic Culture ( 2012 – 2015 ). As a public speaker , he has presented about 30 public lectures and speeches. As a columnist who writes Philosofaith for Daily Trust on Saturday , one of the leading and widely- read newspapers in Nigeria ; Ndagi has contributed over 700 newspaper articles . From 2005 to date , he has been on the Editorial Board of the Daily Trust newspaper.
Ndagi is the secretary to the Board of Trustees for the Babba Center for Historical Documentation and Research ( BACHIDAR) located in Agaie, Niger State, Nigeria . This Heritage Center was established to encourage scientific researches into the history of Agaie and its people . The Center exists to collect, analyze and catalogue literary treasures of the foremost scholars of Agaie ; using modern technology to digitize , preserve and popularize the intellectual and socio -cultural heritage of Agaie people . Ndagi earned the Islamic Publications Bureau Award for the Best Graduating Student in B . Ed Islamic Studies from the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria, Nigeria , in 1990 . While graduating in 1985 with the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE ) from the Niger State College of Education , Minna , Niger State , he also earned the prize for the Best Graduating Student in Arabic Language . He received the General Mamman Vatsa Literary Award in 2011 from Nupe Foundation ( Ninibo Nupe ) at the 3 rd Nupe Festival in Bida , Niger State, Nigeria . Ndagi was presented with a Meritorious Service Award in 2013 by the Abuja branch of the Nigeria Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies (NATAIS ). He also received a Merit Award in 2004 for the Longest Serving Academic Staff at the 20 th Anniversary of Federal Government College, Kwali , Abuja. He was honoured by the Nigerian Students Union in Sudan with a Merit award in 1995 . Ndagi is married with children .
