Garba Duba
Encyclopedia
Colonel Garba Duba was Governor of Bauchi State
, Nigeria
from July 1978 to October 1979 during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, and Administrator of Sokoto State
from January 1984 to August 1985 during the military regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari
.
He was educated at Kontagora Primary School, Kaduna
(1951-1954) and Provincial Secondary School, Bida, Niger State
(1956-1962).
He joined the Nigerian Army as a Cadet Officer, entering the Nigerian Military Training College on 10 December, 1962.
One of his school classmates and army colleagues was Ibrahim Babangida
, who married Duba's cousin Maryam
in September 1969.
Duba later attended the Indian Military Academy, and was appointed ADC to the Military Governor of the old Northern Region
.
Garba Duba was one of the northern officers who mutinied in July and August 1966 during the disturbances before and after the murder of the head of state, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
, after which General Yakubu Gowon
came to power. Others involved in the mutiny were Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha
, both to later become heads of State.
As a Captain, he served in the Nigerian Civil War
(1967-1970), commanding a squadron of armored vehicles.
He provided infrastructure in the form of residential accommodation and offices, including secretariats for the 16 Local Governments. Steyr Nigeria Limited, a tractor manufacturing company, was founded during his tenure. He established the Bauchi State Polytechnic, using one of the Teachers Colleges as premises. The rector was given Duba's brigade commander’s guest house as his quarters, and army offices for administration. He expanded the number of Teacher Training Colleges and introduced Schools of Basic Studies on the site now used by the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
. His administration supervised orderly elections for the Nigerian Second Republic
in 1979, handing over to the elected governor Tatari Ali
on 1 October 1979.
Other posts included Commanders of 2nd Mechanised Division (1987-88), Commander of 3rd Armoured Division and Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy
(1990-1992).
He retired in 1993 after thirty-one years of active military service.
After retirement, he entered business, holding positions that included Chairman of the New Nigerian Development Company, Chairman of SGI Nigeria Limited, Director of First Bank of Nigeria, a non-executive director of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc since August 1998, and Chairman of the Board of Leadway Pensure, a pension fund administration company.
Bauchi State
Bauchi State is a State in northern Nigeria. Its capital is the city of Bauchi. The state was formed in 1976 when the former North-Eastern State was broken up...
, 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...
from July 1978 to October 1979 during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, and Administrator of Sokoto State
Sokoto State
Sokoto State is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2005 it has an estimated population of more than 4.2 million...
from January 1984 to August 1985 during the military regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
.
Early career
Garba Duba was born in 1942.He was educated at Kontagora Primary School, Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
(1951-1954) and Provincial Secondary School, Bida, Niger State
Niger State
Niger State is a state in the western part of Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State.The state is named...
(1956-1962).
He joined the Nigerian Army as a Cadet Officer, entering the Nigerian Military Training College on 10 December, 1962.
One of his school classmates and army colleagues was Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
, who married Duba's cousin Maryam
Maryam Babangida
Maryam Babangida was the wife of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who was Nigeria's head of state from 1985 to 1993.Her husband was the target of criticism for rampant corruption during his regime....
in September 1969.
Duba later attended the Indian Military Academy, and was appointed ADC to the Military Governor of the old Northern Region
Northern Region, Nigeria
The Northern Region was one of Nigeria's federal divisions. It was created before independence in 1960, with its capital at Kaduna. In 1962 it acquired the territory of the British Northern Cameroons, who had voted to become part of Nigeria....
.
Garba Duba was one of the northern officers who mutinied in July and August 1966 during the disturbances before and after the murder of the head of state, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Nigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.- Early life :Thomas Umunnakwe...
, after which General Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
came to power. Others involved in the mutiny were Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
, both to later become heads of State.
As a Captain, he served in the Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
(1967-1970), commanding a squadron of armored vehicles.
Governor of Bauchi State
Colonel Garba Duba was appointed Military Governor of Bauchi State in July 1978.He provided infrastructure in the form of residential accommodation and offices, including secretariats for the 16 Local Governments. Steyr Nigeria Limited, a tractor manufacturing company, was founded during his tenure. He established the Bauchi State Polytechnic, using one of the Teachers Colleges as premises. The rector was given Duba's brigade commander’s guest house as his quarters, and army offices for administration. He expanded the number of Teacher Training Colleges and introduced Schools of Basic Studies on the site now used by the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University , is a federal university of technology located in Bauchi, northern Nigeria. The university is named after the first Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The motto of the university is DOCTRINA MATTER ARTIUM, which...
. His administration supervised orderly elections for 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 :...
in 1979, handing over to the elected governor Tatari Ali
Tatari Ali
Alhaji Abubakar Tatari Ali was elected Governor of Bauchi State, Nigeria in 1979, holding office until the military coup on 31 December 1983 that brought General Mohammadu Buhari to power....
on 1 October 1979.
Later career
Later he was appointed Military Administrator of Sokoto State (1984-1985).Other posts included Commanders of 2nd Mechanised Division (1987-88), Commander of 3rd Armoured Division and Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy
Nigerian Defence Academy
The Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna is the only Military University in Nigeria.The NDA was established in January 1964 as a reformation of the British run Royal Military Forces Training College , which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College on independence...
(1990-1992).
He retired in 1993 after thirty-one years of active military service.
After retirement, he entered business, holding positions that included Chairman of the New Nigerian Development Company, Chairman of SGI Nigeria Limited, Director of First Bank of Nigeria, a non-executive director of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc since August 1998, and Chairman of the Board of Leadway Pensure, a pension fund administration company.