Published by Alphapressmedia
1959 – 26 August 2026
A Life of Photography, Faith, Humanity and Service
Ibrahim Salihu Bawa Yari, fondly and popularly known as IYAYI, was a distinguished son of Bauchi, accomplished professional photographer and cinematographer, humanitarian, devoted Muslim and family man whose life was defined by friendship, humility, professional excellence and service to humanity.
Born in Bauchi in 1959 into the renowned Yari family, Ibrahim was a son of Alhaji Salihu Bawa, Yarin Bauchi, a distinguished officer of the Nigeria Prisons Service who served the nation for 35 years and retired in 1977 as Deputy Director of Prisons. His father had earlier served as Chief Warder Grade I, building a long and distinguished career in public service.
Ibrahim was named in honour of his maternal grandfather, who was also called Ibrahim. He was the sixth child of the family, born after five daughters.
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
In 1966, at the age of seven, Ibrahim was enrolled at Kobi Primary School, Bauchi, alongside his close brother, Abdullahi Yari, another son of the late Yarin Bauchi who later became a holder of the traditional title of Yarin Bauchi.
Abdullahi remained one of Ibrahim’s closest companions and custodians throughout their lives, sharing a bond that extended from childhood into adulthood.
After completing his primary education, Ibrahim proceeded to Government Secondary School (GSS), Bauchi, in 1971 and graduated with the Class of 1976.
His classmates included several personalities who would later distinguish themselves in public and professional life, among them the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed. Ibrahim maintained meaningful relationships with many of his schoolmates throughout his life.
His family ties also extended to prominent members of the Bauchi community, including Alhaji Uba Kari, Wazirin Bauchi, who married Ibrahim’s daughter and was therefore his son-in-law as well as a nephew by marriage.
BEGINNING OF A DISTINGUISHED PROFESSIONAL CAREER
Immediately after completing secondary school in 1976, Ibrahim began his career as a civil servant and professional photographer with the Bauchi State Ministry of Information and Culture.
He joined the service during the administration of the first Governor of the newly created Bauchi State, the late Colonel Muhammad Bello Khaliel.
His natural talent, creativity and versatility in photography soon became evident.
An important influence during the formative stage of his career was the late Musa Abdulkadir, a highly respected professional photographer who had studied in London. Musa Abdulkadir became one of Ibrahim’s mentors, helping him develop the practical and professional skills that would form the foundation of his remarkable career.
JOURNEY TO THE UNITED STATES
Recognising his exceptional ability and potential, Ibrahim travelled to the United States of America in 1977 to pursue professional training in photography.
He spent several years in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he undertook formal studies in photography between approximately 1977 and 1981, complementing the practical experience he had acquired in Bauchi.
For a young Nigerian professional of that era, this was a remarkable achievement.
Photography and modern visual communication were still developing rapidly in Nigeria, and opportunities for specialised international training were limited. Ibrahim therefore belonged to a generation of professionals who pursued advanced knowledge abroad and returned with skills capable of contributing to the development of the profession at home.
He returned to Nigeria with an Associate Degree in Photography, equipped with advanced knowledge and techniques that were relatively uncommon within Nigeria’s media and photography industry at the time.
RETURN TO BAUCHI AND PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Following his return from the United States, Ibrahim resumed his career with the Bauchi State Ministry of Information and Culture and subsequently rose to the position of Principal Photographer.
During his years in government service, he worked alongside several distinguished professionals and public servants.
Among them was his former GSS Bauchi schoolmate, Alhaji Inuwa Bello, who later served as Managing Director of the Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC) before rising to the positions of Director and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
Ibrahim’s professional career therefore brought together international academic training, practical experience and years of service within government media and information institutions.
FROM PHOTOGRAPHY TO CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ibrahim’s passion for learning did not end with photography.
Determined to broaden his professional expertise, he returned to the United States for further studies and attended Columbia College Los Angeles, where he pursued education in cinematography and related areas of visual media.
This second phase of his professional development expanded his expertise from still photography into moving images, filmmaking and cinematography.
His training further strengthened his reputation as a versatile visual-media professional who understood both the artistic and technical dimensions of photography and film production.
LIFE AND SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES
During his years in Los Angeles, Ibrahim became well known within his immediate community and among his American neighbours.
His influence extended far beyond his professional career.
He became closely associated with a Muslim community in Los Angeles, where he served as a custodian of a mosque and earned respect for his commitment to Islam and service to the community.
He built friendships across cultural and religious boundaries and became known for his humanitarian disposition, generosity and readiness to assist people in need.
Over the years, he received recognitions and awards connected with his humanitarian activities, photography and journalism, reflecting the respect he earned within Nigerian and American communities.
A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN
Ibrahim was married to three wives — Asabe, Aisha and Fatima — and was blessed with 13 children.
Family remained central to his life. Despite spending significant periods outside Nigeria, he maintained strong connections with his family, his hometown of Bauchi and his Nigerian heritage.
He also maintained close relationships with his siblings.
Among them was his immediate younger brother, Yakubu Yari Bawa (Y. Yari), with whom he shared a particularly close bond throughout his lifetime.
To his wives and children, he was a husband and father. To his siblings, he was a brother and companion. To his relatives and friends, he was a dependable presence. And to the wider community, he was a man whose doors and heart remained open to others.
THE MAN BEHIND THE CAMERA
Beyond his qualifications and professional achievements, Ibrahim Salihu Bawa Yari will be remembered most profoundly for the qualities that defined the man himself.
He was friendly and approachable, generous and compassionate, humble in his interactions and deeply devoted to his Islamic faith.
His life represented an uncommon combination of education, professional excellence, international exposure, humanitarian service, family commitment and religious devotion.
His professional journey was particularly remarkable because he embraced photography during an era when the profession was still developing in Nigeria and pursued it beyond national boundaries to an international level.
Through photography and cinematography, he became part of a profession devoted to preserving moments, people and history.
Today, even though the man behind the camera has departed, the memories of the life he lived remain.
HIS FINAL JOURNEY
After 67 years of an eventful life, Ibrahim Salihu Bawa Yari passed away on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi.
His passing brought to an end a remarkable earthly journey that began in Bauchi in 1959 and took him across continents, from Nigeria to the United States, through a lifetime devoted to professional development, family, faith and humanity.
He left behind his wives, 13 children, siblings, relatives, friends, professional colleagues, former classmates and countless people whose lives he touched.
But death cannot erase a life of impact.
His enduring legacy remains in the images he captured, the profession he served, the people he assisted, the friendships he cultivated, the family he raised and the example he left behind as a Muslim, humanitarian and professional.
For a man who spent much of his professional life preserving the memories of others through the lens of a camera, it is now his own memory that family, friends and generations after him must preserve.
May Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive the shortcomings of Ibrahim Salihu Bawa Yari, accept his good deeds, expand and illuminate his grave, grant him peace in the hereafter and admit him into the highest rank of Jannatul Firdaus.
May Allah grant his wives, children, siblings, relatives, friends and associates the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Ameen Ya Rabbal Alameen.
Farewell, IYAYI.
The photographer may have left the camera behind, but the beautiful picture of the life he lived will remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
