Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, a towering figure in Nigerian academia and civil society, marks his 70th birthday today, capping over three decades of distinguished service in scholarship, advocacy, and public discourse. Known for his incisive intellect and unwavering commitment to democratic ideals, Mr Ibrahim currently serves as the Chairman of the Editorial Board at Premium Times and as a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), where he previously held the role of Executive Director for nearly a decade.
Born in 1954 in Kano State, Mr Ibrahim’s academic journey began at the Roman Catholic Primary School in Sabon Gari, Kano, and continued at the esteemed Barewa College in Zaria. He advanced his education at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, earning a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1977 and a master’s degree in 1983. His formative years at ABU were shaped by the mentorship of notable scholars, including Bjorn Beckman, the late radical Swedish political scientist, and Ibrahim Gambari, a former Nigerian foreign minister who later became the country’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Mr Ibrahim’s pursuit of knowledge took him beyond Nigeria’s borders. He earned a Diploma in French from Vichy, France, in 1983, and a postgraduate diploma in International Economic Relations from Paris in 1985. His academic journey culminated in an M. Phil and a Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Bordeaux, France, completed in 1987 and 1990, respectively.