Iya Abubakar
Encyclopedia
Professor Iya Abubakar is a Nigeria
n mathematician
and politician
who was Federal Minister of Defence during the Nigerian Second Republic
, and Senator for Adamawa North from May 1999 to May 2007.
He was educated at University College Ibadan (later to become the University of Ibadan
) and earned a Ph.D at the University of Cambridge
.
He worked as a visiting professor at the University of Michigan
in 1965-66, before being appointed as Professor of Mathematics at Ahmadu Bello University
at the age of 28, in 1967.
He held this position until 1975, as well as a visiting professorship at the City University of New York
from 1971-72. In 1975, he was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, a position he held until 1978.
Abubakar was a director of the Central Bank of Nigeria
from 1972 to 1975.
His Erdős number
is 5.
From 1993 to 2005, he was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Ibadan
.
In the late 1990s, he served as director of the National Mathematical Centre at Abuja
and chaired both the National Manpower Commission of Nigeria and the non-governmental Africa International Foundation for Science and Technology.
Abubakar Iya was elected Senator for the Adamawa North constituency of Adamawa State
, Nigeria
at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
, running on the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999.
He was reelected in April 2003.
After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999 he was appointed to committees on Public Accounts, Banking & Currency (chairman), Commerce and Finance & Approprition.
Abubakar has also chaired the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation and the Senate Committee on Science and Technology.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who was Federal Minister of Defence during the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
, and Senator for Adamawa North from May 1999 to May 2007.
Birth and academic career
Abubakar was born on 14 December 1934.He was educated at University College Ibadan (later to become the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
) and earned a Ph.D at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
He worked as a visiting professor at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1965-66, before being appointed as Professor of Mathematics at Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
at the age of 28, in 1967.
He held this position until 1975, as well as a visiting professorship at the City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
from 1971-72. In 1975, he was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, a position he held until 1978.
Abubakar was a director of the Central Bank of Nigeria
Central Bank of Nigeria
The Central Bank of Nigeria was established by the CBN Act of 1958 and commenced operations on July 1, 1959.The major regulatory objectives of the bank as stated in the CBN act of 1958 is to: issue legal tender, maintain the external reserves of the country, promote monetary stability and a sound...
from 1972 to 1975.
His Erdős number
Erdos number
The Erdős number describes the "collaborative distance" between a person and mathematician Paul Erdős, as measured by authorship of mathematical papers.The same principle has been proposed for other eminent persons in other fields.- Overview :...
is 5.
Later career
After the regime of Olusẹgun Ọbasanjọ handed power back to an elected government in 1979, Abubakar was appointed the Federal Minister of Defence, holding this office until 1982.From 1993 to 2005, he was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
.
In the late 1990s, he served as director of the National Mathematical Centre at Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
and chaired both the National Manpower Commission of Nigeria and the non-governmental Africa International Foundation for Science and Technology.
Abubakar Iya was elected Senator for the Adamawa North constituency of Adamawa State
Adamawa State
Adamawa is a state in northeastern Nigeria, with its capital at Yola. It was formed in 1991 from part of Gongola State with four administrative divisions namely: Adamawa, Ganye, Mubi and Numan. It is one of the thirty-six States which constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria.-Geography:Adamawa...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
, running on the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999.
He was reelected in April 2003.
After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999 he was appointed to committees on Public Accounts, Banking & Currency (chairman), Commerce and Finance & Approprition.
Abubakar has also chaired the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation and the Senate Committee on Science and Technology.