Professor Jubril Aminu, a former Minister of Petroleum and Education, who passed away on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at the age of 85. His death was confirmed by Abdullahi Adamu Prambe, a relative and the current Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development in Adamawa State.
Prof. Aminu’s life was a complex blend of brilliance, bold service, and controversy. Born on August 25, 1939, in Song, Adamawa Province during colonial Nigeria, he rose to become a renowned cardiologist, an academic pioneer, a federal minister, and a senior political figure who shaped national discourse for decades.
His academic path began with a medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1965, followed by a Ph.D. in medicine from the Royal Post-Graduate Medical School in London. He went on to hold prestigious roles, including Consultant and Senior Lecturer at the University of Ibadan Medical School, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, where he served from 1980 to 1985 and continued as a professor until 1995.
In the diplomatic and political corridors, Prof. Aminu held significant offices. He served as Nigeria’s Minister of Education and later as Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources from 1989 to 1992. His appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States from 1999 to 2003 further underscored his versatility and diplomatic acumen. In 2003, he was elected Senator for Adamawa Central and re-elected in 2007, serving in the upper legislative chamber until 2011.
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A recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and an honorary doctorate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Aminu was widely respected for his intellect and administrative prowess. Yet, his legacy remains controversial, particularly for his role during Nigeria’s military regimes.
As Minister of Education under General Ibrahim Babangida, Prof. Aminu infamously banned the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 1986 and chaired the Akanbi Panel to investigate student activism. Earlier, during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of UNIMAID, his iron-fisted approach to student dissent sparked legal and political backlash. One of the most high-profile victims was Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia State governor, who was expelled during a protest known as the “Ali Must Go” campaign. Kalu, then an SUG leader, refused to return to the university when his reinstatement did not include his colleagues.
The most defining judicial moment tied to Prof. Aminu’s leadership came in the historic Supreme Court case of Yesufu Amuda Garba & Others v. University of Maiduguri. The case emerged after the university expelled over 500 students for alleged involvement in protests that turned violent. Legal icon Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) took the matter to the apex court, which ruled in favor of the students. The landmark verdict held that domestic tribunals lacked the jurisdiction to determine guilt in criminal matters, reinforcing the principle of fair hearing and establishing the primacy of courts in such cases.
Despite the controversies, Prof. Aminu remained a towering figure in Nigerian politics and public service. His role in the constitutional conferences of the 1990s, his leadership in key ministries, and his deep imprint on Nigerian academia define a legacy that is as impactful as it is debated.
He is survived by his family, colleagues, mentees, and countless Nigerians whose lives were shaped by his policies and actions, both admired and contested. His death marks the end of an era in Nigerian history-an era of elite intellectualism, powerful politics, and polarizing decisions that continue to echo through the nation’s institutions.
