Meet the 13 ABU Alumni Ministers in President Buhari’s Cabinet

President Mohammadu Buhari inaugurated his new cabinet (21/08/2019) by swearing in New Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and assigning each a portfolio. Thirteen Alumni of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) were sworn in as ministers.

Let’s take a look at the profile of each of the thirteen Abusites in the cabinet of president Mohammadu Buhari.

Profile of 13 Abusites New Ministers

1. Adamu Adamu

Adamu Adamu is one of the 13 Abusites in the cabinet of President Mohammadu Buhari. He is a returnee who has retained his Education portfolio in the New cabinet. Adamu was born on 25 May 1956 in Katagum, Bauchi State. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He also obtained a master’s degree in Journalism from Columbia University’s School of Journalism.

After graduation from Ahmadu Bello University, Adamu worked briefly as an accountant in his home state Bauchi before venturing into Journalism where he rose through ranks to become Deputy Editor of now-defunct New Nigerian newspaper.

He was first appointed a new minister by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2015 and assigned to the education portfolio

Adamu is polyglot, being fluent in Arabic, Persian, Fulfulde, Hausa, and French

2. Mohammed Musa Bello

Muhammad Musa Bello is our second Abusite in the cabinet of President Mohammadu Buhari. This gentleman who hails from Adamawa State has also retained his former portfolio as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory – FCT

Born on 8th January 1959. An old boy of the prestigious Barewa College, Zaria, the Minister is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he obtained a B.Sc. in Management with a bias for Banking and Finance in 1980 as well as an MBA in the same field.

He had an impressive career that spanned banking, industry, business, and public service. He, at various times, was in charge of credit and marketing at the ICON Merchant Bank Plc and later a Director at Habib Bank Plc and several other top-ranking firms.

An experienced project manager, he was Managing Director of the Bakabure Industrial Complex, Yola. He also has been a member of several sub-committees of the defunct Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization (TCPC). He has equally been very active in the promotion of enterprise and commerce in Adamawa State, a passion which saw him play an active role as an official of the Adamawa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA).

Before he was invited to join the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister was Chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria [NAHCON] from 2007 until May, 2015.

3. Maryam Yalwaji Katagum

Amb. Maryam Yalwaji Katagum who is from Bauchi State is an Abusite and the minister of state, Industry, Trade, and Investment. She is one of the two ministers from the bauchi state on the cabinet. Prior to this development, she was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Paris.

Born on 18th November, 1954 at Azare, Bauchi State, Mrs Katagum has both educational and diplomatic experience spanning over three decades.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and a Graduate Certificate in Education at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1976, a Masters in Administration and Planning at the University of Lagos in 1985, as well as a Certificate in Social Development Policy, Planning and Practice at the University College, London, in 1999.

she started her working life as a Senior Education Officer at the Federal Government College, Azare, and, from 1981 to 1984, served at the Federal Scholarship Board, Lagos.

She had served at the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO between 1985 to 2000, where she rose to the position of Sector Secretary in the Social and Human Sciences Sector.

From 2000 to 2001, she was appointed Director for Special Projects at the National Primary Education Commission (later Universal Basic Education Commission) in Abuja.

She returned to UNESCO in 2001, where she became the Secretary General of the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO and in 2006 was given the additional responsibility of supervising the National and International Partnerships Division of the Federal Ministry of Education.

During this time, she worked closely with other agencies such as UNICEF, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), World Bank, UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth of Learning (COL), as well as national and international Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), nongovernmental organisations and foreign based organisations.

Specifically, she was a member, representing the Federal Ministry of Education in the Governing Councils of the Kaduna Polytechnic, Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the University of Lagos at various times.

She was appointed Ambassador, Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO on 1st June 2009 and assumed duty on 26th August 2009.

4. Goddy Jedy-Agba

Goddy Jedy-Agba, OFR, who is from Cross River State, is another great Abusite on the cabinet. He is the minister of state, Power. He is an author, bureaucrat, a politician, a philanthropist, and a farmer.

He was born on the 20th of August, 1958 in Obudu, Cross River State. He obtained his first Degree in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru, Zaria in 1983. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos, Akoka in 1989.

In his novel, “Stepping Forward with Uti J.D Agba” published by Bookman publishers, Goddy Jedy-Agba captures his story while growing up while looking up to his father in shaping his life. Who and what he has become today is a product of a very long plan.

As a bureaucrat, Goddy started his federal civil service work as Assistant Secretary II with the office of the head of service, federal secretariat Ikoyi in September 1984. By October 1984, he was posted to the department of health services, federal capital territory, Garki, Abuja, as assistance secretary II. In October 1985, he was reposted back to Lagos as a senior assistant secretary to the federal development authority, Lagos Liaison Office where he worked for two years.

By the end of October 1987, Goddy Jedy-Agba was promoted as the deputy liaison officer, federal capital development authority, Lagos Liaison Office, Lagos State. He worked under this capacity till April, 1989, when he was carefully selected as the personal assistant to the honorable minister of special duties under the presidency, state house-Lagos.

He was later selected, in December, 1990 to serve as the personal assistant to the honorable minister of state for foreign affairs, ministry of foreign affairs, Abuja. A position he occupied until January, 1993, when he was again, selected to serve as the personal assistant, honorable secretary of state, ministry of petroleum mineral resources, federal secretariat, Ikoyi.

In November 1993, he became the head market research, crude oil marketing department, NNPC. He remained at that position until in 1995 when he was appointed the head gas/gas liquids/condensate sales, GGLU Crude Oil Marketing Department, NNPC.

Mr Goddy Jedy-Agba retired voluntarily from the NNPC to pursue a career in the murky waters of politics. He attained the position of Group General Manager (GGM), Crude Oil Marketing Division (OMD), NNPC. He is the first from South-South to attain the position of GGM, Crude Oil Marketing in the NNPC.

In September 2012, he was awarded and decorated with a National Honor in the rank of OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC, (OFR).

Jedy-Agba retired from active service at the NNPC to join the governorship race in 2014.

He owned Godilogo Farms Limited which was incorporated on the 19th July,2004, but which commenced commercial operations in early 2005. The farm specializes in the production of cassava, rice, yam flour, garri, starch, as well as the rearing of cattle. His cattle farm produces fresh milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, and other dairy products.

The Gogilogo Farm employs over 6000 local farmers in its out growers program alone.

5. Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu

Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu. Another great Abusite, is the minister from Jigawa State in charge of the Water Resources ministry

He was born on the 19th of April 1963. He hails from Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1984 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Second Class Upper Honours) in Civil Engineering; and also obtained a Master of Science degree in (Construction) Project Management from University of Reading, United Kingdom in 2004.

He started his career in the public sector at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in 1985, where he supervised roads and bridges construction in Abuja Central Area Project; and at the Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency (WRECA), Kano State, where he designed, supervised and managed water and dam projects.

He later co-founded Integrated Engineering Associates (IEA), a leading firm of civil/structural, electrical, mechanical and environmental engineering consultancy where he has been involved in the planning, design, supervision and management of several buildings and civil engineering projects in Nigeria covering a wide spectrum of engineering and infrastructural works like office/commercial structures, roads and water supply schemes.

Adamu was the winner of the Nigeria Ports Authority prize for the Best Final Year Student in Civil Engineering, 1984.

He is a Registered Engineer and presently the National Vice President of Association of Consulting Engineering in Nigeria (ACEN). He is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).

He served on the governing council of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN (2006-2009) and is sitting on various committees of ACEN and NSE.

Adamu is a policy researcher and political administrator. He served as National Vice Chairman (North West), for the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), from 2010 – 2013; and had served in leading positions in several party committees and Presidential Campaign Councils of Buhari-Okadigbo (2003), Buhari-Ume-Ezeoke (2007), Buhari-Bakare (2011), and Buhari-Osinbajo (2015). He co-prepared The Buhari Programme 2003, The Buhari Programme 2007 and The Buhari Programme for Change 2011.
He is a member of Kazaure Emirate Council

6. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed

Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed is the minister from Kaduna State. She is the minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning.

She was born on June 16, 1960 in Kaduna. She graduated from Queen Amina College, Kaduna, in 1977; obtained IJMB ‘A’ Level at the School of Basic Studies, ABU, Zaria in 1979; obtained a BSc Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1981 and also obtained an MBA from Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State in August 2004.

After her NYSC primary assignment at Egunjobi, Suleiman & Co. Firm of Chartered Accountants in Kaduna in 1981-82.

She went to work as Accountant II in the Main Accounts Division of the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance in 1982, and was promoted to Accountant I in March 1984. She resigned in 1985 and went to work as Senior Officer (Finance) at Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL) in March 1985. She was at NITEL until 2009. She rose to become Deputy General Manager, Corporate Treasury in 2002.

She moved to Nigeria Mobile Telecommunications (MTEL) and was appointed Acting Chief Finance Officer in November 2005 and later Chief Finance Officer of MTEL.

In 2009, she was appointed Managing Director of Kaduna Industrial and Finance Co. Ltd (KIFC). In 2010 she became Executive Secretary and National Coordinator of Nigeria EITI and was also a member of the Nigeria EITI board. She is a member of the international board of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) representing 11 Anglophone and Lusaphone countries. She is also the Government Co-Chair of the Open Governance Partnership (OGP).

As Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, she was responsible for Budget implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Donor Coordination and Managing the National Social Investment Program (NSIP). She is also the Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Task Team, leading coordination of the Humanitarian Response of the North East Crises in Nigeria. The objective of the Team is to provide assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

She is a Fellow, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN); Fellow, Institute of Company and Commercial Accountants (ICCA); Member, Nigerian Institute of Management Taxation (CITN) and Member, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).

On September 14, 2018, President Buhari appointed Mrs. Zainab Ahmed as the Supervising Minister of Finance.

7. Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (RTD) 

Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (RTD) who from Kano State is the Nigeria minister of Defense and a great Abusite.

Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (RTD) is a former Military Governor of Sokoto State from August 1990 to January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Magashi is a lawyer and a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. He holds a national award of CFR.

During the intrigues leading to General Sani Abacha’s assumption of power in November 1993, Brig. General Bashir S Magashi was given command of the Brigade of Guards in September. He is said to be a member of the Abacha Military Caucus.

He had an illustrious military career serving in various strategic appointments commandant Nigeria Defense Academy, Command brigade of Guards, command ECOMOG etc

Shortly after democracy was restored in May 1999, the government announced the compulsory retirement of all armed forces officers who had served for six or more months in military governments, including Major-General Bashir Magashi.

In 2002, he was legal advisor to the All Nigeria People’s Party ANPP.

In April 2007 he was Kano State governorship candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).

8. Ramatu Tijjani

Ramatu Tijjani who is from kogi state is not just a great Abusite, she is also a proud Abusite. She is the minister of State, FCT.

After attending Federal Government College, Minna, Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu graduated from Ahmadu Bello University with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning. She also has an M.PA in Public Administration from Nasarawa State University, Keffi and a D.PA in Public Administration, Honoris Causa, from the Commonwealth University, London.

An industrious and dynamic speaker, Ramatu Aliyu was appointed as the National Woman Leader of All Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP) in 2014. Until recently, she served as the National Woman Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC).

9. Amb. Zubairu Dada

Amb. Zubairu Dada is an accomplished Diplomat from Niger State and a great Abusite who is the minister of State foreign affairs.

Born on 28 March 1952 in Minna, Niger State, Zubairu Dada an ethnic Gwari took his Baccalaureate exam in Zaria in 1970, before getting a diploma in further studies in French and English literature from Ahmadu Bello university in Zaria (1974).

He attended the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, 1970. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1974.

Started his working career as Information Officer II, North Western State, Sokoto between 1974-75. His working experience include Hansard Editor/Niger State Legislature, Director MAMSER, National Orientation Agency, Ambassador, Embassy of Nigeria, Warsaw Poland, Government Board, Niger State Council for Arts and Culture; Governing Council, Broadcasting Corporation, Niger State; Steering Committee, Niger State Printing and Publishing Company; Niger State Task Force, Environmental Sanitation; Niger State Disaster Relief Committee;

10. Sunday Dare

Another great Abusite in the cabinet is Sunday Dare. The proud Abusite who is from OYO state is the minister of youth and Sports. Until his nomination for this position, was the Executive Commissioner (Stakeholder Management) of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

He was also the Convener of the Social Media Clinic (SMC), a Media/Information Technology (New Media) initiative committed to educating private citizens on IT development and also in the use of telecommunication as an information tool and creating awareness on how to responsibly use the platform provided by advancements in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). He combined this role with being the Chief of Staff / Special Adviser (Media) to former Lagos State Governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc.) in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University in 1991. He then proceeded to obtain a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the University of Jos. He was a Freedom Forum Fellow and Visiting Scholar, School of Journalism – New York University (NYU) in 1998. He later proceeded to Harvard University under the prestigious Harvard Nieman Journalism Fellowship between 2000 and 2001 where he studied Media and Public Policy.

In 2011 he won the Reuters Foundation Journalism Research Fellowship, University of Oxford, UK where he researched “New Media and Citizen Journalism in Africa – A Case Study: Using New Media Tools and Citizen Journalism to Investigate Corruption in Nigeria.”

Mr. Dare has decades of multimedia journalism experience spanning about 25 years (1991 and 2016)

He was the Chief, Hausa Service, African Division, Voice of America (VOA) in Washington, DC from 2001 to 2009, where, apart from directing the production of radio and online broadcast news and programs daily, he designed and implemented the adoption of new IT and Telecoms tools for international radio news-gathering and information dissemination to boost audience size and expand reach. He supervised the work of eleven (11) International Radio Broadcast Journalists based in Washington DC alongside 24 reporters/stringers based in West Africa for VOA.

He was a founding member of the Nigerian weekly magazines The News and Tempo in the heady days of the military, where he served as Editor, Tempo magazine and pioneer Online Editor/General.

He had been reporter/columnist with several international publications such as The Nation magazine in New York and a production editor/writer with the European funded Fourth Estate magazine during the struggle against military dictatorship in Nigeria.

11. Muhammad Maigari Dangyadi

Muhammad Maigari Dangyadi who is from Sokoto state is the Nigerian minister of Police Affairs and a great Abusite.

Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi was born in 1953 in Dingyadi, Sokoto State. He had his Secondary Education at Government College, Sokoto. After his secondary education, he went to the School of Basic Studies for a 2-year course.

He later gained admission to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and graduated in 1978. He represented Bodinga Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives.

He was one time, the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government and Chairman National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) Abuja He is married with 7 children. His hobbies including reading and engaging in associations.

12. Sadiya Umar Farouk

Sadiya Umar Farouq is the current Minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development and the former Federal Commissioner of National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.

She hails from Zurmi Local Government of Zamfara State. She was educated at the Federal Government Girls’ College Gusau, Zamfara State and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State graduating with a Bsc. in Business Administration (Actuarial Science) in 1998, before proceeding to earn her Master’s degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy in 2008 and also her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in 2011 from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State.

Between 1999 – 2000, Farouq, under the mandatory National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) Scheme served with the Nigeria National Assembly. She served under the Senate Committee on Aviation and worked with the Senate Committee on Appropriation. She worked as Operations Manager at Pinnacle Travels and Tours Ltd (a Nigerian travel agency) between 2001 – 2003 before joining the National Assembly Service Commission as an Administrative Officer II in 2003 where she rose to the Position of Principal Administrative Officer before leaving the commission in 2010 to pursue her political ambitions.

She became the National treasurer of the CPC, from 2011 – 2013, and then Interim National Treasurer of the APC from 2013-2014 before her appointment as Member, All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council where she served in the directorates of election planning and monitoring, field operations, and fund raising, in preparation for the 2015 general elections which the APC won.

Sadiya was appointed the Honourable Federal Commissioner (HFC) of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) on September 26, 2016. Since her assumption in Office, Sadiya has developed a Strategic Roadmap of Action that will reposition the Commission as the lead government agency responsible for coordination, protection and assistance of Persons of Concern (PoC). The Strategic Roadmap of the Commission focuses on total provision of durable solution to PoC, by implementing standardized procedures for utilizing Research, Data Gathering & Planning for Resettling, Rehabilitating, Reintegrating and Readmitting PoCs.

13: Muhammad Sabo Nanono.

Muhammad Sabo Nanono Who is from Kano State is the minister of Agriculture who replaced Another Abusite, Chief Audu Ogbe.

He was born in Tofai, Zakirai district of Gabasawa Local government, Kano State on 11th April 1946.

He attended Zakirai and Gwarzo primary schools, Birnin kudu Secondary school, Government College Kano from where he proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration in 1972.

In 1977, he obtained a Master’s Degree in public policy and Administration from University of Wisconsin, Madison USA. He also attended an Advanced Management Course at Harvard Business School, Boston Massachusetts In 1994. He was a University lecturer, civil servant, a banker who rose to the position of Managing Director, a traditional ruler (village Head of Tofai) a farmer and politician.

He has attended several courses, conferences, workshops and seminars within and outside Nigeria. A fellow of Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria. He was at various times Chairman and board member of numerous organizations in Nigeria.

We have no doubt about their competence and quality and can only hope they are giving an enabling environment to effectively contribute their quota and make all ABUsites and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria proud.