Farewell, Prof. Lawalenna...
Unpleasant news arrived after Isha prayer on Friday (March 15). It was news that seemed too hard to believe. After confirming it from various sources, the news turned out to be true. Innalillahi wainna ilayhi raji’un—one of Unhas’s finest sons has passed away.
Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Lawalenna Samang, MS., MEng., was indeed one of Unhas’s finest sons. He was born in Empagae, Sidrap, on December 31, 1960. He spent his childhood and completed his elementary and secondary education in Pangkajene, Sidrap. He continued his studies to earn a degree in engineering, graduating as the top student in his class from the Department of Civil Engineering at Unhas. He began his career as a lecturer at his alma mater after completing his engineering degree at Unhas 34 years ago. He earned a master’s degree in regional development from Unhas in 1991. He then pursued a second master’s degree at Saga University in Japan before earning his Ph.D., also from Saga University, in 1997. He capped off his academic journey by being appointed full professor on November 1, 2005.
As a professor in the field of Geotechnical Engineering in the Department of Civil Engineering at Unhas, he served as Department Chair for two terms (2002–2006 and 2010–2014) and as Head of the Soil Mechanics Laboratory (1997–2003). His professional organizational experience is quite extensive. To date, he still serves as Chair of the Indonesian Soil Engineering Association (HATTI) South Sulawesi Chapter, Chair of the Indonesian Association of Sanitation Engineers (IATPI) South Sulawesi Chapter, Vice Chair of the Indonesian Road Development Association (HPJI) South Sulawesi Chapter, and a member of the Expert Council of MTI and MASKA South Sulawesi. In addition, he served as Secretary-General of the All-Indonesia Civil Engineering Education Consultative Body (Bamus PTTSSI) from 2010 to 2014.
“Hardworking, courteous, loyal to friends, and devoted to his family” are hallmarks of his personal life, career, and journey with his family. He is married to Dr. Nurjannah Hamid, M.Agr., a lecturer in the Department of Management at Unhas. His eldest child, Dr. Nirwana, PhD, has recently followed in her father’s footsteps to become a lecturer at Unhas. His second child is scheduled to graduate with a PhD this year in the UK, while his youngest, who is still pursuing an undergraduate degree at Unhas, is following in her mother’s footsteps.
Hard work is his defining trait. From my interactions with him and from his close friends, Prof. Lawa—as he is affectionately known—has been a “legend” in the Ajatappareng region since childhood. His intelligence is widely recognized and remains the subject of stories to this day. His passion for civil engineering—particularly geotechnical engineering—has taken him to the far corners of Indonesia on projects related to foundations and soil issues. He seems tireless when discussing geotechnical matters. The students he mentors have surely experienced the “depth of his knowledge,” as consultations often extend late into the night.
My experience interacting with this ever-smiling figure began when I was still a college student in 1997, shortly after he returned from Japan. My memory always centers on one thing: “There’s a new professor who just returned from Japan, and he’s incredibly smart.” As a student, I was naturally curious—who on earth was he? When the time came for us to take the new “computer programming” course, we met him in the classroom. That very first session immediately sent a shockwave through the entire class. We, who were just learning to program on “DOS,” were suddenly asked by him to learn “Macintosh”—feel free to Google what a Macintosh is! Hehe. We felt like we’d been dropped into the middle of nowhere because there were absolutely no books available on the subject at the time (at least in Indonesia), and remember, this was 1997—the internet and Google weren’t yet “essential.” However, he dispelled those concerns by patiently teaching us in a special classroom dedicated to Macintosh. After graduating with our bachelor’s degrees, we had something to be proud of. Yeah, exactly—at the very least, we could “sell ourselves” on our resumes with the line “proficient in Macintosh,” a skill that not many people had mastered back then, hehe.
I began to sense his gentle nature once I became a lecturer. This was especially true when he asked me to serve as the Department Secretary (in charge of student affairs) during his first term as Department Chair. He had a signature greeting that he continued to use even the last time I saw him: “How are you, young man?”—a phrase he frequently used with any young faculty members who were close to him. There’s a sense of “protection” deeply embedded in that signature greeting. Don’t be fooled by his gentle demeanor—he was a man who paid meticulous attention to detail. We’d often have lengthy discussions about a single issue that, in my opinion, was actually quite simple. But that was just who he was—consistent in his convictions. Yet once a decision was made, his polite phrase would resurface: “Let the young ones handle it; we’ll just wait for the results.” It might seem convoluted due to his attention to detail (for those new to interacting with him), but trusting the process and savoring the final outcome were traits deeply ingrained in his character.
Loyal to a Fault—one of his unforgettable traits. Feel free to “cross-check” with faculty and staff who have worked or are currently working in the Department of Civil Engineering. For those he considers friends, he’ll go “to the ends of the earth” to help them through to the very end. He’s quick to lend a hand, whether to seniors or juniors. He’s extremely generous, especially when it comes to “community affairs.” In his book, working together means giving 100% support. He doesn’t hesitate to dip into his own pocket for the institution’s sake—especially the department’s. We used to joke that whenever there was work involving forms, proposals, etc., we’d ask, “Is Prof. Lawa coming?” If he agreed to come, that meant we’d “feel safe” because there’d definitely be plenty of food and other support, hehe. Another thing to know about him is that he finds it hard to say no to certain things. But we could tell when he actually disagreed. “Yeah, whatever”—a phrase that shows he really didn’t want to disappoint others, a testament to his loyalty to his friends.
Besides being loyal to his friends, he is a man who deeply loves his family. He always sets aside time for his wife and children. I’d often run into him with his family at malls, restaurants, and other dining spots. Ever since his children became “busy” with college, Prof. Lawa and Mrs. Nunung (his wife’s nickname) still frequently went out together to eat and “window-shop” at the mall. That was a habit he maintained from the very beginning until the end of his life. There was one thing I frequently asked him right up until the end of his life: “When will your GB conferment ceremony be, Professor?” He would reply, “Just take it easy, Mr. Suhe.” But eventually, he did answer me one day. He said, “I want my GB conferment ceremony to be held together with Mrs. Nunung.” The process for Mrs. Nunung’s GB nomination was also underway. Unfortunately, that wish has not been fulfilled to this day. It’s sad because I personally had promised to help when the time came for that event. Let’s pray that Mrs. Nunung becomes a GB soon. Aamiin.
Allah SWT holds power over everything we possess. For me and my colleagues in the department, he was a “perfect” figure in fulfilling his duties. Last Friday (March 15), from morning through the afternoon, she was still teaching and holding student consultations. In fact, one doctoral student even managed to get her signature approving an exam. After that, I had plans to have dinner with Mrs. Nunung at the mall. However, before meeting her husband at the meeting spot, she suffered a “heart attack” in the parking lot of a mall in Makassar. He could not be saved despite being rushed to Grestelina Hospital.
Farewell, Prof. Lawalenna Samang. May he have a good ending. Insha Allah, may he be placed in Jannatul Firdaus. Aamiin.
Suharman Hamzah
Lecturer, Department of Civil Engineering
Director of Communications/Secretary to the Rector
Hasanuddin University