Renowned political historian and former Vice Chancellor, Professor Alkasum Abba, has stirred public debate following remarks in which he challenged the widely held belief that former President Muhammadu Buhari was of Fulani ethnicity.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV’s Inside the North programme, Abba argued that Buhari was often identified as Fulani during his years in public office but did not belong to the ethnic group.
According to the professor, Buhari originated from Daura in Katsina State and had Hausa roots. He pointed to the former president’s linguistic background, noting that Buhari spoke English with what he described as a Hausa-Daura accent and was not known to speak Fulfulde, the language traditionally associated with the Fulani people.
Abba suggested that the perception of Buhari as Fulani may have been influenced by his family ties, noting that the former president’s wife is Fulani and that his children speak the language.
The historian went further to make a broader claim regarding Nigeria’s political history, stating that, in his view, no Fulani individual has served as either President or Vice President of Nigeria, with the exception of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
During the interview, Abba reportedly stated that Buhari was “often declared Fulani” but maintained that the former president was not Fulani by ethnicity, adding that Atiku remains the only Fulani figure to have occupied either of the country’s two highest executive offices.
Abba’s observations were made within the broader context of discussions on indigene-settler relations, identity politics, and national cohesion in Nigeria.
