Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar is a decendant of Muhammad Maude, a warrior and warlord of repute, who established Unguwar Maude in Katsina in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Muhammad Maude had sixteen children, eight girls and eight boys among whoma set of twins, Hassan and Hussaini the grandtather of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar Sardaunan Katsina. What is today known as Unguwar Maude was Muhammad Maude’s fortress, farm land and household. Maude was an outstanding warrior tamously called Dan Marusa, Mai Wuta. Understandably, he was closely associated with the palace and title holders in the Katsina Emirate. So were some of his children, like Hassan who served in the Katsina Palace as Sarkin Dogarai. So Hassan, the twin brother of Hussaini (the grandfather of Rufai), was part of the traditional ruling elites. Hassan himself never had a child but his brother Hussaini had three children: Abubakar (the father of Ahmed Rufai), Dahiru Ko Tak and Ladi Mai Goyo. Abubakar was born in Unguwar Maude. He was brought up by his uncle, Hassan Sarkin Dogarai (the Head of Palace Guards). As a young boy, Abubakar was taken to an Islamic scholar Mallam Amadu Ahmed) in Kofar Durbi quarters of Katsina city to learn the Qur’an and acquire knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence. He apparently bonded very well with his teacher, who appreciated his character and learning and as a result gave him his daughter Ramatu (the mother of Ahmed Rufai), in marriage. Abubakar kept on with the pursuit of Islamic education while relating with the Katsina Emirate establishment. He had by this time developed an imposing personality and appearance and because he kept a thick hairy and bold face, he was nicknamed Abu Gumuje. At the death of his paternal uncle Hassan, who never had a child, Abubakar (Abu Gumuje) who had now moved to Kano with his young family, was invited to ascend
the post of Sarkin Dogarai. He politely declined the offer and returned to Kano. However, having sensed that his refusal to accept to serve as Sarkin Dogarai may have been taken tor an atront by the Emirate’s establishment, Abu Gumuje therefore moved eastward, and ended up in Fort Lamy, popularly known among Hausas as “Fallomi”. In Fort-Lamy, Chad, now called Ndjamena, Malam Abu as he was now popularly called, established himself – as a successtul merchant/ transporter, and a respected cleric, as he continued with Islamic scholarship. Both Malam Abu and his spouse Ramatu died in Ndjamena where they were buried, in 1992 and 1982 respectively. Mallam Abu and Ramatu had three boys and three girls: Hajiya Halima (Amma), Dahiru, Malam Umaru Maikudi, Hajiya Fatima (all four deceased), Hajiya Rabi and Ahmed Rufai the Sardaunan Katsina and current Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). Malam Abu also had 2 boys from his Chadian wife Halima, also deceased: Ibrahim, living in Maiduguri and Adam, living in Bangui, CAR. Ahmed Rufai was born in Katsina, on llth February 1953. He grew up in Fort-Lamy where he had a sound formal basic education, first in an Arabic Primary School and thereatter a French Primary School, in addition to the education he received at home from his father and three different Quranic teachers and two other teachers of Fiqh (jurisprudence). He returned to Katsina in 1972 and lived under the guardianship of his maternal cousin Alhaji Ali K/D in Kofar Durbi, his mother’s quarters. By this time, he could speak, read and write in French and Arabic languages in addition to Hausa. Having acquired Islamic education from his father at home, coupled with his self discipline and reserved personality, Ahmed Rufai was clearly ahead of his age mates in terms of knowledge, comportment and intellectual potentials. His smooth and charismatic personality immediately endeared him to, and earned him the respect of his peers in Kofar Durbi. He was clearly a different person because of his fine behaviour, courtesy and charisma. He was never known to have had any altercation with anybody in the neighbourhood or outside. Remarkably too, he did not ignore his paternal relations at Unguwar Maude, with whomhe related very well. Rutai enrolled into Arabic Teachers College (ATC) Katsina, in 1974 after briefly working as bill clerk in Katsina District Office of Water Board, under one Mr. Emara, the District Manager. He was admitted into Bayero University, Kano hrough its Pre Degree program, and graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor’s degree in tench. He did his National Service in the same Bayero University where he was Subsequently employed as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of English and ropean Languages in 1985 and rose graciously to the position of Assistant Lecturer in 1987. Combining teaching and learning, Ahmed Rufai bagged a Master’s Degree in Francophone Maghrebian Literature in I988. Following the Creation of Katsina State in 1987, Ahmed Rufai joined the Katsina State Civil Service in 1988, where he spent six years as head of the Political Department of the Governor’s Office. Because of his language skills, Ahmed Rufai doubled as the Secretary of the Katsina-Maradi- Zinder Tripartite Committee on the development of border region between Katsina State in Nigeria and Maradi and Zinder Prefectures (States) in Niger Republic. In 1993, Ahmed Rufai was spotted and recruited into the Security arm of the Nigerian Foreign Service, where, once again, he distinguished himselt in good character, hard work and devotion to duty. After a tour of diplomatic service at the Nigeria Embassy in Morocco between 1998 and 2003, and a stint in the office of the Secretary to the Government ot the Federation (SGF) in 2005, Ahmed Rufai served wvith distinction in the African Union (AU) and thereafter at the United Nations (UN), as political affairs officer, peacekeeper, mediator and facilitator of peace negotiation and conflict resolution and management from January 2006 to August 2015. In this regard, he held key positions in the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), the United Nations Joint Support and Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the UN Mediation Process for the Darfur conflict in Doha, Qatar, and the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) in Dakar Senegal. He also served briefly in 2015 as Senior Advisor to the Political Head of the Multinational Joint Task for Force (MNJTE) in Ndjamena, Chad. In November, 2015, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar was appointed Senior Special assistant to the President (SSAP) on International Relations and Foreign Affairs, bringing a solid background and wealth or experience in International Relations and Diplomacy, Security and Intelligence, Mediation, Good Governance and Peace Support Operations, as well as teaching and administration, in addition to language skills. Ahmed Rufai was not done yet as all this was crowned with his appointment, on 9th day of January, 2018 as Director General, National Intelligence Agency. Ahmed Rufai is married and is blessed with seven children. Four of them, namely Jamaal, Abdulrahman, Zinatu and Ramatu (Ummi Rahmat) are from his first marriage: and three others, Abubakar Siddiq, Umar Faruq and Zainab-Tasneem from his current spouse Fadila, daughter of Ali K/D, his cousin and mentor. However, beyond this nucleus family, Rufai, a true believer in the extended family system and values, has established himself as the patriarch of the Maude descendants. He is also known for wide outreach in community support, as well as youth and women empowerment. Despite an extensive national and international public service trajectory that took him places away from Katsina and indeed Nigeria, he remained a farmer and cattle and sheep breeder in Katsina, where he has been investing in farming. It was in appreciation of his meritorious service career in Katsina, Nigeria and the international system, as well as his commitment to hard work and trustworthiness that His Royal Highness, the Emir of Katsina, Alh (Dr.) Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, CFR, after consultation with his Council members, conferred the prestigious and legendary tittle of Sardaunan Katsina to Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar. This royal gesture is applauded by the people of Katsina, Nigeria and beyond. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar is a recipient of many awards including three DGNIA Awards for devotion to duty and excellence, the National honour of Commandeur de lOrdre National de la Rèpublique du Niger conferred on him by President Mohammed Bazoum; the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari, and the National Honour of Ordre National de Merite de la Rèpublique de Guinée Bissau, among others.
December, 2022 Culled from booklet of programme of event of the Turbaning.
