By Mark Mayah
A former Minister of Education and Petroleum, Professor Jibril Aminu, is dead.
Aminu, regarded as one of Nigeria’s most revered intellectuals and public servants, died on Thursday, June 5, 2025, at the age of 85.
A distinguished professor of cardiology, respected politician, and devoted mentor, Prof. Aminu leaves behind a lasting legacy in medicine, education, and governance.
His demise was confirmed by a family member, Abdullahi Adamu Prambe, the Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development in Adamawa State.
Born on August 25, 1939, in Song, Adamawa Province, during Colonial Nigeria, Prof. Aminu’s life was defined by service to knowledge and nation.
He earned his medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1965 and went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Medicine from the prestigious Royal Post-Graduate Medical School in London.
Prof. Aminu’s career spanned decades of leadership in higher education and clinical medicine. At the University of Ibadan Medical School, he served as Consultant, Senior Lecturer, and Sub-Dean of Clinical Studies from 1973 to 1975.
He played a vital role in shaping Nigeria’s higher education policy as the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) from 1975 to 1979. He was also a Visiting Professor of Medicine at Howard University College of Medicine in the United States between 1979 and 1980.
Perhaps most notably, he served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri from 1980 to 1985, while also holding a professorship in medicine there until 1995.
Prof. Aminu’s contributions extended well beyond academia. He held cabinet positions as Nigeria’s Minister of Education and later as Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources between 1989 and 1992.
From 1999 to 2003, he served as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, further solidifying Nigeria’s diplomatic relations during a pivotal era. He was elected Senator representing Adamawa Central in 2003 and was re-elected in 2007, serving until 2011.
Prof. Aminu was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2002. He also received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Ahmadu Bello University in 1988, among numerous other accolades.
He is survived by his family, colleagues, and countless protégés who carry forward his enduring legacy.
However, Aminu’s legacy remains complex, marked by both significant achievements and controversial associations, including their ties to the military and involvement in policies that suppressed student activism.
As Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, Aminu expelled several students for activism, a move that led to the landmark case of Mr. Yesufu Amuda Garba & Others v. University of Maiduguri, which ultimately was decided in favour of the appellants.
One of the most notable victims of Aminu’s high-handed approach was former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, who at the time was an active representative in the Student Union Government (SUG) and later served as SUG President.
During one of the student protests, known as the “Ali Must Go” campaign—an agitation against the then Minister of Education, Col. Ahmadu Ali (retd.)—Kalu and others were expelled under Aminu’s leadership as Vice Chancellor.
Although the university’s Senate eventually recalled Kalu after significant pressure, he refused to return unless his expelled colleagues were also reinstated. When the university refused, Kalu moved on with his life.
In February 1986, the Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled in the case of Mr. Yesufu Amuda Garba & Others v. University of Maiduguri.
The appellants, who were students at the university, one of whom was Garba, had been expelled following a protest involving around 500 students, which the authorities claimed resulted in destruction, arson, looting, and assaults.
Their expulsion was based on an investigation panel set up by the Vice Chancellor with the Senate’s approval. Each appellant swore an affidavit denying any involvement in the unrest and argued that they had not received a fair hearing before their expulsion, which took effect on March 30, 1983.
The late legal luminary Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) took the case up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria and the case was decided in favour of the students.
The apex court held that domestic tribunals at universities lack the jurisdiction to handle criminal offences, affirming that only courts of law can adjudicate criminal matters.
The ruling established a clear principle: while universities and administrative tribunals can discipline students for non-criminal misconduct, they must rely on court decisions when criminal charges are involved.
The case arose from the expulsion of students accused of rioting and other criminal acts.
The court found that the university’s disciplinary panel had overstepped its authority by determining the students’ guilt in these criminal matters. In its decision, the court underscored that domestic tribunals at universities cannot determine criminal guilt.
Furthermore, the court emphasised the critical importance of fair hearing rights, even within university disciplinary proceedings.
By affirming that only courts have the power to determine criminal liability, the ruling narrowed the scope of universities’ disciplinary autonomy in matters that border on criminal conduct.
As Minister of Education under then-military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, Aminu also banned the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 1986 and set up the Akanbi Panel.
Beyond the courtroom, Professor Aminu was regarded by many democracy activists as a staunch enabler of military rule.
He held significant positions in successive military governments, serving as Minister of Education and later as Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources under General Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime (1985–1993).
He was also a prominent figure in Nigeria’s National Constitutional Conference (1994–1995), convened by General Sani Abacha’s military regime to discuss constitutional reforms.
