 Many other children had died in childbirth and so when Muhammadu was born to Abubakar's senior wife Hauwa, he was given the additional name Maccido (meaning "slave") to try and ward off bad luck.Although Abubakar only had two children before he became Sultan, he preceded to have 53 additional children after.Maccido was prominent in Abubakar's court while growing up and his father's system of leadership had significant impacts on Maccido's eventual reign.