Career & Public Service
Five decades of teaching, administration, and elective office — from the classroom at Madonna Boys High School to the chambers of the Nigerian Senate.
Teaching & School Leadership
Fifteen years in the classroom and the principal's office, rising to national president of ANCOPSS.
Civil Service
Permanent Secretary across four portfolios in Kano State Government.
Elective Politics & National Office
Governor of Kano, Minister of Education, and Senator for Kano Central.
Teaching & School Leadership
Senator Shekarau spent his first fifteen years as a teacher and principal, shaping secondary education across Kano State and leading Nigerian principals nationally.
NYSC Teacher, Madonna Boys High School
Began his teaching career during the National Youth Service Corps, instructing Mathematics at a leading secondary school in the East.
Mathematics Teacher, Government Technical College Wudil
Joined the Kano State civil service as a classroom teacher shortly after completing national service.
Senior Master (Academic), GTC Wudil
Promoted within months to oversee academic standards at the Government Technical College.
Principal, Government Day JSS Wudil
First principalship, at the remarkable age of 24, establishing the new junior secondary school.
Principal, Government Secondary School Hadejia
Led one of the largest boarding schools in the old Kano State for four formative years.
Principal, Government College Birnin Kudu
Ran a flagship northern college, strengthening its science and mathematics programmes.
Principal, Government Secondary School Gwammaja I
Returned to metropolitan Kano to head a large urban secondary school.
Principal, Rumfa College, Kano
Capped his principalship career at Kano's most historic secondary school, guiding generations of future leaders.
National Leadership in Education
Alongside his principalships, Shekarau led the All Nigerian Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), holding successive state and national offices.
Civil Service
As a senior civil servant, Shekarau served at the highest administrative level in Kano State government, rising to Permanent Secretary in four separate portfolios.
Deputy Director of Education, Bichi Zonal Education Area
Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Kano State Ministry of Education
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Youth Development
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Rural and Community Development
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education (second time)
Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office (Administration & General Services Directorate)
Permanent Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Kano State
Chief Lecturer (Mathematics), Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies
Voluntarily retired from Kano State Civil Service
Principal Private Secretary to the Chairman, Dantata Group of Companies
Elective Politics & National Office
Elected Governor of Kano State in 2003 and re-elected in 2007, Shekarau later served at the federal level as Minister of Education and Senator for Kano Central.
Governor of Kano State (ANPP), 1st Term
Elected on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party to lead one of the most populous states in the federation.
Governor of Kano State (ANPP), 2nd Term
Re-elected in 2007, becoming the first Governor of Kano State to win and complete a second term.
Presidential Candidate, All Nigeria Peoples Party
Flag-bearer of the ANPP in the 2011 Nigerian presidential election.
Chairman, ANPP Merger Committee that formed the APC
Led the historic merger negotiations that produced the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Federal Minister of Education
Appointed to steer education policy at the national level during the final year of the Jonathan administration.
Chairman, PDP Forum of Former Governors
Convened former governors on the PDP platform during a period of party reorganisation.
Senator, Kano Central Senatorial District
Returned to elective office in the 9th National Assembly to represent Kano Central in the Senate.
Senate Leadership
Committee responsibilities during the 9th National Assembly (2019 – 2023).
- Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service (2019 – 2023)
- Member, Senate Committee on Basic and Secondary Education (2019 – 2023)
- Member, Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development (2019 – 2023)
- Member, Senate Committee on Health (2019 – 2023)
- Member, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence (2019 – 2023)
- Member, Senate Committee on INEC (2019 – 2023)
- Member, Senate Committee on Public Procurement (2019 – 2023)
Current Roles
Active leadership positions held after leaving the Senate.
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Chairman, League of Northern DemocratsAugust 2024 – present
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Chairman, Organising Committee for MSSN 70th AnniversaryAugust – December 2024
Organisational Leadership
Sustained service on education boards, faith institutions, and community organisations across Nigeria.
Education Bodies
- Kano State & National Committees of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) — 1984 to 1993
- WAEC International Council — 1988 to 1993
- Governing Board, Comparative Education Study & Adaptation Centre (CESAC), University of Lagos — 1981 to 1985
- Governing Council, Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo — 1990 to 1993
- National Task Force on Textbook Production for Primary & Secondary Schools — 1989 to 1990
- National Committee on Child-Friendly School Initiative (UN programme) — 2000 to 2003
Community & Faith
- Member, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) — since 1975
- Member, Mathematical Association of Nigeria (MAN) — since 1975
- Patron, Muslim Students' Society of Nigeria (Kano) — since 1990
- Chairman, Hudaibiyya Nursery & Islamiyya Primary School, Sharada, Kano — 1989 to 2003
- Governing Board, National Islamic Centre, Zaria — since 1997
- Secretary-General, Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation — 2009 to 2024
- Board of Trustees, Inuwar Jama'ar Kano (Kano Forum) — since 1997
Party Affiliations Timeline
Two decades of evolving party platforms in Nigerian democratic politics.
Governor, Presidential Candidate
Merger Architect, Minister of Education
BoT Member, Forum of Ex-Governors Chair
Senator, League of Northern Democrats