Abubakar Gimba
Abubakar Gimba was born in Nassarawa, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, and lived most of his life in Minna. He was a writer, banker, administrator, and public intellectual whose career move...
About the Artist
Abubakar Gimba was born in Nassarawa, Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, and lived most of his life in Minna. He was a writer, banker, administrator, and public intellectual whose career moved easily between literature, finance, and public service. Gimba was a former National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors and an executive director in the banking sector. He played a key role in the establishment of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai. His novels—'Witness to Tears,' 'Trail of Sacrifice,' 'Innocent Victims,' 'Sunset for a Mandarin,' and 'Golden Apples'—are among the most important works of modern Nigerian fiction. They focus on society, morality, power, and personal responsibility, written in clear and disciplined prose. Beyond writing, Gimba held several leadership positions. He was Chairman of the Concern Foundation and Savannah Group Ltd, combining cultural advocacy with business management. In finance, he served as Executive Director at Union Bank of Nigeria and United Bank for Africa, showing strong command of economic and institutional systems. His public service record includes serving as Permanent Secretary in the Niger State Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning. He was also Pro-Chancellor of IBB University, Lapai, Chairman of its Implementation Committee, and a former President of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. These roles placed him at the centre of education and policy development in Northern Nigeria. Gimba earned a Master's degree in Economics from the University of Cincinnati, USA. He travelled widely across Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, experiences that broadened his outlook and informed his writing. He participated in the International Writing Program in the United States under a State Department grant. In addition to novels, Gimba wrote short stories, poetry, essays, and newspaper columns. He was a respected public speaker and a committed humanitarian. His work consistently returned to one concern: the health of society depends on its ability to raise thoughtful, ethical, and functional human beings.
