Sa'adu Abubakar

Sultan Sa'adu Abubakar LLD
Sultan of Sokoto
Preceded by	Muhammadu Maccido
Personal details
Born	August 24, 1956 Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria
Parents	Siddiq Abubakar III
Alma mater	Barewa College Nigerian Defence Academy Command and Staff College, Jaji
Religion	Sunni Islam (Qadiriyya Sufi)
Military service
Allegiance	Nigeria
Service/branch	Nigerian Army
Years of service	1975 – 2006
Rank	Brigadier General

Amirul Mumineen Sultan Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar IV (born August 24, 1956 in Sokoto) is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto, the titular ruler of Sokoto in northern Nigeria, head of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (Society for the Support of Islam - JNI), and president-general of the Nigerian National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).^[1] As Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of Nigeria's 70 million Muslims, roughly 50 percent of the nation's population.^[2] Sa'adu Abubakar succeeded his brother, Muhammadu Maccido, who died on ADC Airlines Flight 53, the flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and had been destined for Sokoto.^[3]

Background & education

Sa'adu Abubakar is a younger son of the 17th Sultan, Siddiq Abu Bakar dan Usuman, who held the Sultanate for over fifty years.^[4] Abubakar is the fifth heir to the two century-old throne founded by his ancestor, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio (1754-1817) leader of the Maliki school of Islam and the Qadiri branch of Sufism.^[2] He attended the prestigious Barewa College, Zaria and proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1975 where he was a member of the 18th Regular Course.^[5] Abubakar was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1977 and served in the elite Armoured Corps.

Military career

Abubakar headed a presidential security unit of the Armoured Corps that guarded then military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida in the late 1980s. Abubakar also commanded a battalion of African peacekeepers in Chad during the early 1980s as part of the Organisation of African Unity's force and was military liaison officer for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the mid 1990s.^[6] He was appointed Commanding Officer 241 Recce Battalion, Kaduna in 1993.^[5] From 1995 to 1999, he was ECOWAS military liaison officer and Commanding Officer, 231 Tank Battalion (ECOMOG Operations) in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2000.^[5] From 2003 to 2006, he served as Defence Attaché to Pakistan (also accredited for Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan).^[5] Upon his elder brother, Sultan Maccido's death, he was recalled to take office as the 20th Sultan of Sokoto ^[7] and retired as a Brigadier General.^[5]

Sultan of Sokoto

As the sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar is the leader of the Qadiriyya sufi order historically the most important Muslim position in Nigeria and senior to the Emir of Kano, the leader of the less populous Tijaniyya sufi order.^[8]

Awards & Honours

In 2015, Amirul Mumineen Sultan Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar IV was listed among the 10 recipients of the maiden edition of the Global Seal of Integrity (GSOI). An annual list which is compiled and authored by two young Nigerians; Emmanuel Josh Omeiza and Godspower Oshodin (under the Global Youth Coalition for Integrity) for promoting integrity among the people and consequently promoting the well-being of the Universe.

References

1. Paden, John N. (2008). Faith and politics in Nigeria. Washington, DC: US Institute of Peace Press. pp. 32f. ISBN 978-1-60127-029-0.
2. The Muslim 500: "Amirul Mu’minin Sheikh as Sultan Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III" retrieved May 15, 2014
3. Nigeria gets new Islamic leader
4. The Sokoto Caliphate and its Legacies
5. Chiama, Paul. "From Barracks To Royalty: 6 Prominent Ex-Military Officers Now Royal Fathers". Leadership Nigeria. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
6. From Nigerian soldier to Sultan of Sokoto
7. Sa'adu Abubakar is new Sultan of Sokoto
8. All Africa: "Nigeria: Updated - Kano Blasts Claim Over 60" By Ismail Mudashir November 28, 2014

External links

• Profile: Muhammed Sa'adu Abubakar BBC News, Thursday, 2 November 2006, 10:30 GMT