By 1961, He graduated to Secondary School a year before completing his Primary School because of his outstanding performance. This was made possible through the influence of his uncle whom he was living with at that time, who was a teacher and a ‘no nonsense’ man towards academic laziness, and also aided by the fact that Sir Patrick was a determined young man delighted by the new knowledge his teachers were offering him.

The sad event of losing his mother to the cold hands of death in 1962 did not dearer Sir Patrick from gaining admission into St. Mary’s Catholic School in Fadan Kaje. He was amongst the third (3rd) set of graduands from the school and graduated with The West African School Certificate.

One year later, he secured admission into St John’s College now Rimi College. He graduated in 1968 with a Higher School Certificate and was received back home in Fadan Kagoma amidst great jubilation.

ir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa secured admission into the famous Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in the faculty of Arts and Social Studies (FASS). He graduated in 1972. In the same year, 1972 he got a job with the then North Central State Civil Service as an administrative officer. He was later made an Assistant Secretary II in the Kaduna State Sports Council. Within a short time, certain traits began to manifest in the life of Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, his dedication to his job, loyalty and reliability and above all his trustworthy character; These qualities added impetus to his career development.

In 1973, he attended the Institute of Administration, University of Ife where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration. Immediately after his course he assumed duty as an Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Establishment. He was later posted to Birnin Gwari as a Divisional Officer (DO)

In 1975, he was transferred from Birnin Gwari to the Ministry of Establishment and Training as Senior Assistant and later Acting Principal Assistant. During this period, he was also appointed member of the National Committee to Draft Scheme of Service for all cadre of staff.
In 1977, he enrolled for a one-year Masters’ Degree programme in Public Administration.
In December 1978, he got married to his lovely wife then Miss Amina Dauda Haruna and the union is blessed with four (4) children, Mrs. Theresa Kyola Olajide, Miss Rose Yakowa, Mr. Peter Jatau Yakowa, and Mrs. Benedette Fwa Zidon.
In 1979, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa was redeployed to the office of the then Military Governor’s Office as Under Secretary (Political Affairs).
In 1980, he was appointed Secretary of the State’s Land Investigation Committee. From there, he moved to Kaduna State Health Service Management Board where he became the Secretary and Chief Administrative Officer, a parastatal under the Ministry of Health.
In 1984, Sir Patrick was moved to the Military Governor’s office as Principal Secretary in charge of Parastatals. Later that year, he was made the Secretary and Chief Administrative Officer of Kaduna State Agricultural Project (KADP). A year later in 1985, He was made the Sole Administrator of Saminaka Local Government and later the Chairman of the same Local Government. He assumed duty with a seemingly endless crisis between the Gure and Kahugo over land issues; by the end of 1987, Patrick left behind a community fully settled with adequate peace amongst the warring tribes.

Sir Patrick moved back to Kaduna to take up appointment as Permanent Secretary; In 1988, he was moved to the Ministry of Works and Transport. Sir Patrick transferred his services to the Federal Government in 1992. This was a pivotal impetus in his growth in the civil service, National recognition, and subsequent political growth. Sir Patrick became a Director in the Ecological Funds office under the Presidency. After spending a year, he was moved to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources as Director of Finance and Supply. It was while he was there in 1992 that saw him becoming a Caretaker Chairman of the Committee overseeing the state affairs of the National Republican Convention (NRC). He led the State Party to the National Convention.

Between 1994 and 1997 he was the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry. In 1997 Sir Patrick was posted to Lagos as Director Joint Services in the Ministry of Defence. It was during this key appointment that he came in contact with the Former Head of State General Abdulsalam Abubakar, then the Chief of Defence Staff.
In 1998, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa was nominated as Minister, and for 10 months he sojourned the Ministry for Solid Minerals Development. When General Abdulsalam Abubakar handed power to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Sir Patrick went back to continue his job as Permanent Secretary; he was however retired by the administration.
The Obasanjo administration appointed him into the National Economic Intelligence Committee up to 2003, when he was again appointed the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government (SSG) by His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi.
With the demise of His Excellency Engr. Stephen Rijo Shekari, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi appointed him as Deputy Governor of Kaduna State. He also served as Deputy Governor to His Excellency Arch. Namadi Sambo and succeeded him on the 20th May 2010 when Namadi was elevated to the office of the Vice President of Nigeria after the death of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua.
His Excellency Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa contested and won the Kaduna State Gubernatorial Elections in 2011, thereby becoming the first democratically elected Governor from Southern Kaduna.

He lost his life in a tragic helicopter crash on December 15th 2012 in Okoroba, Bayelsa State leaving behind his wife, four children and grandchildren. All through his years in public life, His Excellency Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa viewed his public service as a divine call to act as a catalyst in building and promoting the common good of humanity. He saw it not to be about self-celebration but as a unique privilege to serve humanity. He got his inspiration from the fountain of his Catholic Faith which he received as a young person in Mission Schools, and he held on to that faith till death.
His Excellency, Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa was honoured with numerous awards, National and International; including the Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) and was a Knight of St Mulumba and a Papal Knight of St Gregory the Great.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, Rest in Peace.