Former Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja and pioneer Vice Chancellor of Sokoto State University, Sokoto, Professor Nuhu Omeiza Yaqub, has died today at the age of 73.
He was born in Okene on 3rd March, 1951 to the late Alhaji Yaqub and Hajiya Aishatu Yaqub. He had his early education at Nurul Islamic School, Okene between 1959 and 1965. Upon completion, he attended School for Arabic Studies, Kano, Nigeria between 1967 and 1971 where he obtained Teacher’s Grade II Certificate. He also attended Advanced Teacher’s College, Kano between 1973 and1976 where he obtained Nigeria Certificate in Education.
He later attended Bayero University, Kano between 1977 and 1980, where he bagged a Bachelor of Science Hons Degree in Political Science with First Class. He furthered to University of Toronto, Toronto, (1982-1983), Canada and University of Sussex, Brighton East Sussex, United Kingdom (1984-1989), where he obtained an M.A. in Comparative Politics and Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies respectively. He went to International Summer School, University of Oslo, Norway for his post doctorate in 1990.
After his first degree, Yaqub got appointment as a graduate assistant at the then University of Sokoto, which later changed to Usmanu Danfodio University (UDUS). He rose steadily to the rank of a Professor in 1998. At a point,he was Head, Department. of Political Science. Later, he became the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Deputy Vice Chancellor of the university.
Professor Yaqub was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, June 2004 to May 2009, also the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Sokoto State University, 2012 to 2017, and Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies at the Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, from 2017 to 2019.
He was a former President of the Society for International Relations Awareness (SIRA) and a member of many associations. He was conferred with the Award of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by the Federal Government in 2007
Prof Nuhu Omeiza Yaqub will be remembered for his astuteness and administrative skills and his love for humanity.
