One time Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum and Ambassador to the United States of America (USA), Prof. Jibril Aminu, is dead. Aminu died aged 85.
Prof. Aminu, who hailed from Song local government area of Adamawa State, was also former Minister of Education, Senator and Vice Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Aminu was born in August 1939 and was Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States from 1999 to 2003.
According to former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani who confirmed the demise, Aminu constructed the Eleme Refinery and most of the petroleum depots in the country when he was petroleum minister.
Senator Sani wrote: “Professor Jibril Aminu; he constructed the Eleme Refinery and most of the petroleum Depots in the country when he was the Petroleum Minister.
“He decentralised and reformed the NNPC. Since he left office, none has been added.
“As education minister, he established the Nomadic Education Commission and established the School for the Gifted Children among other reforms in Education.
“He served as the VC of Unimaid and headed the NUC in the 70s. He represented Adamawa in the Senate twice.
“He was the best medical student at the UCH Ibadan in the 60s, a rare feat for a northerner at that time. The Nation has lost one of its greatest Intellectuals and visionary leaders.
“May Allah grant him Aljanna firdausi, Amin”.
TNG reports Aminu served as the Senator representing Adamawa Central senatorial district from 2003 to 2011.
He held office as Federal Minister of Education and then Federal Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources from 1989 to 1992.
Aminu studied medicine and obtained an M.B.B.S from the University of Ibadan in 1965. He had a PhD in Medicine from the Royal Post-Graduate Medical School, London in 1972.
He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri from 1980 to 1985 and Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission from 1975 to 1979.
While the cause of his death was yet to be ascertained, it was gathered that Aminu’s funeral prayer was held at the Abuja National Mosque on Thursday.
TNG reports Prof. Aminu is survived by his wife, Fatima Bukar Mulima, and nine children.