Ishaya Shekari

Ishaya Aboi Shekari
Governor, Kano State, Nigeria Seal of the Governor of the State of Kano
In office September 1978 – October 1979
Preceded by	Sani Bello
Succeeded by	Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi
Personal details
Born	3 August 1940 Zangon Kataf

Air Vice Marshal Ishaya Aboi Shekari was military governor of Kano State, Nigeria, from September 1978 until October 1979. He also served as Minister of Special Duties during the administration of General Babangida and was sole administrator of the Federal Urban Mass Transit Programme. He was briefly the government appointed interim chairman of the Social Democratic Party and he organized the June 12, election.^[1] He was succeeded as chairman by Tony Anenih.

Life

Shekarri was born in Zangon Kataf to parents of Atyap heritage. He started his elementary education at a junior primary school in Zangon Kataf before moving to a middle in Zaria. He attended two senior primary schools before gaining admission to the Provincial Secondary School, Zaria where he completed his studies in 1962. Shekarri joined the Nigerian military in 1962 and was enlisted at the Nigerian Military Training College. In February 1963, he went on a flight training program in Canada under the administration of the Royal Canadian Airforce. From July, 1964 to June 1966, he trained in Germany. His career in Nigeria began in November when he was commisisoned as an Officer of the Nigerian Airforce.

Military postings

• Officer at the Nigerian Airforce Training Wing, (November 1966 - August 1967)
• Operations Officer, Nigerian Airforce Headquarters, Lagos (August 1967 - December 1968)
• Officer commmanding airforce wing of the Nigerian Defense Academy
• Senior Airforce Officer, Logistics, Airforce Headquarters
• Commander Nigerian Airforce Logistics Group, Ikeja (1975 - 1977)
• Commander 303 FTC, Kano
• Kano State Governor (1978-1979)

Military governor

In 1978, Shekarri succeeded Sani Bello as the military governor of Kano State. He was charged with ensuring a smooth transition from the military to a civilian administration. He was assisted in the capacity as military administrator by Isa Gambo-Dutse and Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, Secretary to the Military Government and Secretary to the Executive Council respectively, before presiding over the transfer of power to the civilian administration of Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi at the start of the Nigerian Second Republic.^[2]

Business career

After retiring, Shekari entered business. In 1990 he was appointed a director of Diamond Bank Nigeria.^[3] He became Chairman of Lion Bank of Nigeria, and a board member of companies such as Meristem Registrars, Magami Trawlers, Grand Cereals and Oil Mills.^[4]

He was a supporter of the candidacy of Patrick Yakowa as Kaduna state governor in 2011.

References