The Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) has announced the death of Prof Nuhu Yaqub. Yaqub was a former ASUU Branch Chairman, former Deputy-Vice Chancellor (DVC) at Usmanu Danfodiyo University (UDU), Sokoto; Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja and of Sokoto State University.
The Marxist Conference Group where Yaqub has been an ‘elder’ is equally mourning, keeping members updated on the destabilising story.
A statement by NPSA President, Prof Hassan Saliu, titled “We Have Lost Prof. Nuhu Yaqub” said Prof. Yaqub’s mortal remains will be committed to the earth later today after the Muslim rites of burial, praying to God to grant him eternal rest.
Prof Saliu declared “we will deeply miss Prof. Yaqub’s wisdom, guidance, and contributions to our Association”, recalling today as marking a bittersweet milestone for the NPSA because it is celebrating the life of Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi while also mourning the loss of our esteemed senior colleague, Prof. Nuhu Yaqub”.
Intervention recalls that the 74 years old Okene-born Prof. Yaqub schooled in Kano, including earning his a First-class in Political Science from Bayero University, Kano before further pursuit of knowledge took him to Canada and the UK.
Accounts of Prof Yaqub death do not quite add up so far. One account is that he died after protracted illness. His appearances and activities do not corroborate that narrative. He was at an NPSA function at Anyigba in his home state of Kogi from December 11th to December 12th, 2024. A week or so earlier, he was at a dinner hosted by Prof Toyin Falola for Prof Jibrin Ibrahim at 70.
When he spoke that evening, he regaled the audience with his ordeal in the hands of a traditional ruler while serving as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja. More than that, he responded to a question about the meaning of Igbirra/Ebira and the identity core of that nationality. He gave it both the seriousness as well as the entertaining frame he could. He was very present at the December 2nd, 2024 unfolding of the Jibrin Ibrahim at 70 symposium at the YarÁdua Centre in Abuja. In none of these appearances did he manifest any health concerns to a typical non-medical observer.
Intervention is immediately publishing a tribute to Prof Yaqub written a few months ago by NPSA president at Yaqub’s last birthday. It is institutional homage to an elder of the Political Science tribe in Nigeria. It was not published at the time it was originally written because Intervention was on a break.
