Early Life and Formation
Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed was born in 1950 in Sokoto, Sokoto State, into a family shaped by both service and sacrifice. His father, a veteran who had served in the Second World War, passed away while Abubakar was still in primary school. Raised thereafter by a devoted and resilient mother, with the steady guidance of an uncle, he developed early the discipline, independence, and quiet strength that would define his life.
His educational journey began at a Catholic primary school in Sokoto, an uncommon path for a child from a strictly Muslim household and an environment where most contemporaries attended Native Authority Primary Schools. However, that early exposure to diversity planted in him an openness and breadth of worldview that never left him.
In 1964, he was admitted to Provincial Secondary School, Sokoto, later known as Government Secondary School and now Nagarta College, where he was then known as Garba Mamman. It was during these formative years that he adopted the name ‘Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed’. While “Garba Mamman” and “Abubakar Mohammed” were essentially equivalent in meaning, he added “Sokoto” to anchor himself to his hometown and establish a clear personal identity. The change was also practical, as another student by the same name had acquired an unfavourable reputation, causing frequent confusion. That small, deliberate act of self-definition reflected a lifelong pattern – clarity of thought, purpose and identity.
Academic and Intellectual Life
Abubakar completed his O’Level and A’Level studies at Government Secondary School, Sokoto, before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he studied Sociology and graduated in 1975. Following his National Youth Service in Ibadan, then in Western State, he returned to ABU in 1976 as a Graduate Assistant.
At Ahmadu Bello University, he was more than a teacher—he was part of a generation moulded by the arena of intense intellectual and political debate. Under the influence of scholars such as Dr. Patrick Wilmot, Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman and others, his horizons expanded to embrace history, social justice and African liberation. Drawn to the left, his sympathies reflected the Marxist ideas that animated campus life at the time.
From those formative years, he plunged directly into the struggle for justice- beginning with the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. His energy and vision quickly propelled him into leadership roles within the Movement for Progressive Nigeria (MPN), Youth Solidarity on Southern Africa in Nigeria (YUSSAN), and the Nigeria-ANC Friendship and Cultural Association (NAFCA). On the national stage, he carried the same intensity into the Socialist Congress of Nigeria (SCON). His vision of justice was expansive: he championed gender equality with conviction, co-founding the radical feminist collective Women in Nigeria (WIN). Across all these platforms, he touched thousands of lives- as a strategist, organiser and mentor.
A steadfast advocate for academic freedom and institutional autonomy, Abubakar stood shoulder to shoulder with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), embodying its ideals with unwavering resolve. These engagements deepened his intellectual commitment, culminating in a remarkable Master’s thesis on The 1906 Satiru Revolt- a major anti-colonial uprising led by peasants and former slaves against British colonial rule and the Sokoto aristocracy. His work stood out not only for its rigorous scholarship but for its clear commitment to recovering overlooked episodes of African resistance.
A Career of Many Chapters
When his chapter at Ahmadu Bello University drew to a close, Abubakar joined the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru–Jos in 1987. There he immersed himself in policy analysis, strategic planning, and national development discourse, bridging scholarly insight with practical governance. Over his tenure at NIPSS, he served as Senior Fellow in the Research Department; Directing Staff in the Studies Department; Institute Editor in the Seminar and Publications Unit; Acting Director of Research and Director of Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation. In addition, he was a participant and Monitor-General of Senior Executive Course 29 in 2007, and upon its successful completion was conferred with the prestigious title of Member of the National Institute (mni).
Beyond academia, his influence extended into media and public communication. In 1992, the Sokoto State Government appointed him as the pioneer General Manager of the Sokoto State Newspaper Company, publishers of The Path, a role he held until 1995. He later served as General Manager at Crystal International News Magazine, published by Heritage House Company in Abuja, between 1999 and 2000.
His commitment to public service was equally evident in his membership on distinguished boards, including the Governing Board of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and the Governing Council of Sokoto State University. From 2005 to 2006, he served as National President of the Fulbright Alumni Association of Nigeria (FAAN), strengthening academic and cultural exchange networks across the country.
After a distinguished career in public service, he made a brief return to NIPSS before deciding in 2012 to move permanently home to Sokoto There in Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, he continued to nurture scholarship and leadership, returning to his first calling- teaching- imparting his vast knowledge of public policy, governance, and communication to a new generation of students.
His path from ABU onward was not a departure but a new beginning- one that led him into a life of purposeful and deliberate action. It calls to mind the words of Ernest Hemingway in For Whom the Bell Tolls: “Today is only one day in all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days that ever come can depend on what you do today.” Abubakar’s life gave full expression to that idea.
Personal Life and Character
Throughout his life, Abubakar remained deeply committed to family, friendship, and community. He was known among friends for his warmth, humility, and loyalty, maintaining lifelong ties formed during his school years and keeping in regular contact with classmates and colleagues across the decades. This enduring connectedness naturally extended into his public and intellectual engagements.
A frequent visitor to Abuja, he attended meetings, workshops, and intellectual gatherings—among them the Daily Trust Annual Dialogue, which he graced regularly and often encouraged friends to attend. These occasions not only kept him engaged with national and global discourse but also provided cherished opportunities to reconnect with old colleagues and strengthen long-standing relationships.
Yet, beyond these formal engagements, it was in the small, thoughtful gestures that his character shone most clearly. He valued simple traditions and rarely visited friends empty-handed—often bringing a book or a packet of kilishi, reflecting both his love for knowledge and his deep-rootedness in Northern Nigerian culture. That was Abubakar- grounded, thoughtful and profoundly humane.
Family, Loss and Resilience
Abubakar married young, still in his student days, full of hope and determination. He and his first wife, Amina Igge, journeyed through life together for many years, bearing the quiet longing of a childless marriage with patience and faith. Known for his deep sense of compassion and consideration, he remained mindful not only of her feelings but also of the sensitivities of those within their close circle, including the wives of his own friends. Yet, with a sincere desire to build a family, he took a second wife, Khadijah. That union blossomed, and Allah blessed the home with children, filling it with love, laughter, and the warmth of six growing young ones.
Then, life changed in an instant. In 2009, he lost his beloved wife, Khadijah, during childbirth, leaving him with young children too tender to fully comprehend the weight of their loss. In the unfolding of Allah’s decree, beyond human understanding, just two years later, Amina Igge also passed away, leaving Abubakar with six young children to raise alone. These successive losses became a profound test of faith, and it was his steadfastness in that faith that carried him through one of the most difficult chapters of his life. Indeed, Allah gives to whom He wills, when He wills, and His timing is never mistaken.
In the face of such loss, Abubakar showed extraordinary resilience. He stepped fully into his role as a father and caregiver, ensuring that all his children were raised with a strong Islamic upbringing, love, discipline and dignity. This, perhaps, is one of the greatest testimonies of his character.
Final Days
In early December 2025, Abubakar began experiencing severe pain in his lower limbs and was advised by medical specialists to undergo surgery. During this difficult time, he spoke words that reflected both humility and faith, asking close friends simply: “Please, pray for me.”
At the age of 75, on 11 December 2025, Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed returned to his Creator, passing away just a day to his scheduled surgery. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return.
Legacy
Despite all he had endured, Abubakar never wavered in his responsibilities. Together with his widow, Hajiya Amina, his children were raised with dedication, courage, and love. Today, they are all grown into responsible young adults – Amina, Abubakar Sadiq and Khadijah are graduates; Fatima and Ramadan are currently in university, while Hadiza, the youngest of the family, is completing her secondary education.
On Monday, 23 April 2026 – exactly 102 days after his passing – his first daughter, Amina, gave birth. The message from his son-in-law said it all: “Abubakar has gone, and Abubakar Sadiq has returned.” Allahu Akbar- his name lives on in his grandchild.
Abubakar is remembered as a man of intellect and principle—deeply committed to knowledge, history, and justice. He combined a passion for literature with a strong spirit of inquiry, carrying his considerable achievements with rare humility.
From Sokoto to Zaria, to Jos, and back to Sokoto; from academia to policy, from media to mentorship, his life left a lasting and enduring imprint on all who knew him.
To those who knew him, he was more than a scholar – he was a loyal friend, a thoughtful companion, and a man in constant pursuits of truth, justice and understanding. As the saying goes, you can tell much about a person by the friends he keeps. Indeed, Abubakar’s friendships reflected his character, integrity, and values. Each person gathered here today, reflecting on his family and all who benefited from his extraordinary life of service, stands as a living testament to that legacy.
May Allah grant Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed eternal rest in Aljannah Firdausi, and grant comfort to his family, his friends, his colleagues, students, acquaintances and all who mourn his passing, amin.
Dr Junaidu Maina
29 April, Abuja
