[3][4][5] Yakubu was born in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, in 1976, and began his youth football career in Ghanaian side Hearts of Oak in 1997.
He later moved to Egyptian Premier League side Al Ahly SC in 1998 and played until 2000, before settling in Indian clubs permanently.
[17] With East Bengal, Yakubu formed an impressive partnership with Bhaichung Bhutia,[18] and scored nine goals in the 2008–09 I-League.
[28] In 2012, he moved to Mumbai FC and with the Mumbaikars, he scored his first hat-trick in I-League against Churchill Brothers in a 4–2 win on 13 April 2014.
[33] On 7 August 2017, it was announced that Yakubu would return to India to sign for Churchill Brothers for their Goa Professional League campaign.