January 13, 1984 after he succeed his father, Alhaji Abubakar Umar, who died on January 4, 1984.
The fifth son to the late Emir of Gombe Abubakar Umar, he was the 10th emir.
Shehu Abubakar had his secondary education at Barewa College, Zaria, as far back as 1966.
A brilliant public service career spanning a period of nearly 30 years, a statesman who had become a Divisional Officer, and worked in Ilorin Province, Lafiagi, Bussa, Sokoto and the Niger Dam Resettlement Area.
With the creation of the defunct North-eastern state, he was transferred as a Divisional Officer to the Adamawa Province.
Between 1972 and 1973 he took a post-graduate Diploma in Public Administration at Ife University, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
He was a seasoned administrator, having served as a Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Establishment, Parastatals, Local Governments, Animal and Forestry and also served as the Chief Administrator, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) of the World Bank.
The late emir also served twice as a member of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and was Chairman of Bauchi State Polytechnic Council, and College of Education Azare Council and served as a member, National Political Conference and was until his death the Chancellor of Gombe State University.
He was honoured with National Merit Awards of CON and CFR.
His hobbies included reading military and civilian literatures, hunting, farming and the promotion of culture and tradition.
History will also remember him by his unquantifiable contribution in the struggle for the creation of Gombe state to its reality.
