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Zulumification Of Borno Governance
Zulumification Of Borno Governance
Uncommon spirit drives Zulum to do much more than the over 1000 touchable accomplishments he showcases
By Dauda Iliya
It is very striking to observe every elected public office holder across the three tiers government in Nigeria delivering purposeful accomplishments according to his or her political party’s manifesto and overall critical needs and aspirations of the entity he or she is elected to serve.
It is, however, more striking at this stage of democratic governance in Nigeria to observe the zest that fuels the elected public office holder to deliver the accomplishments with an astounding capacity and commitment according to every emerging crucial imperatives in the affairs of the entity he serves.
Delivering the service the people yearn for according to every emerging situations, and with the degree of gusto required for the achievement of the quality and quantity of the service delivered, are what should stand an elected public servant out of the pack.
This stands Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, solidly out, like the iconic Zuma Rock in the rocky and hilly terrain encircling Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
The professor of Agricultural Engineering ascended the governorship position in May, 2019 with a 10 pact agenda. He glided into the second tenure of his eight-year gubernatorial stint after winning his return-bid election in 2023.
He came into the second term with a strategic target of post-conflict recovery through the 25-year development plan and 10- year strategic initiatives.
In the last five and a half years of his administration, Zulum has implemented over 1,200 legacy projects in critical sectors of security, education, healthcare, housing and infrastructure, transportation
The most-astounding style of Prof Zulum’s governance is not even the exceptionally-soaring list of concrete accomplishments he showcases, in satisfaction of the critical needs of his about seven million terrorized and vulnerable Bornoans, but the sheer spirit that has driven him to strive to achieve a higher feat, unsatisfied with however long the list of enviable accomplishments he proudly showcases.
The soaring list of touchable accomplishments, and the smouldering gusto to do much more, has earned him national and global acclaim as an exemplar with regard to the reconstruction and repositioning of a terror-ravaged entity for the restoration of its eons-old enviable prosperity.
In the year 2024 that had just ended, Zulum recieved several prestigious awards including the Forbes Magazine African Leadership award for his outstanding and exemplary leadership qualities, integrity, innovation and impact driven projects.
This exceptional zest has unleashed him on his terrorized terrain, trotting around the state for the larger part of every year with the strength and vitality of the stallion, as the advertiser would say, ministering to the people, both according to the entire state’s collective critical needs, and according to the specific needs of every of its different sections.
Over the last five years since his ascension to the seat in 2019, Zulum has, through his masterstroke policies and programmes, treasured over 1,200 touchable projects, an unprecedented feat that seamlessly blends with the novel Borno Model of societal reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement and repositioning of over 200 communities displaced by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terror over the last 12 years at their ancestral locations; the de-radicalization of over 100,000 surrendered insurgents; and their subsequent reintegration in their home communities.
Over 30,000 model houses for the returnees have been build, constructed schools, healthcare facilities and public buildings which facilitate the voluntary return of over 1 million people to their ancestral homes.
With these, Prof Zulum has created a showpiece of democratic governance. With the marvelous blend of enviable accomplishments and the sheer zest to strive for more, he has not just raised the bar for whoever would succeed him as governor, but proudly stands out as a pathfinder in governance and a shining star among the state governors in the country’s current democratic experiment.
Succinctly put, Zulum is zulumifying governance in Borno State.
Like the mountain climber, he goes on the ropes governing the state with his toolkit containing his 10-pact Agenda, 25-year Development Plan and 5-year Strategic Development Plan as his potent instruments, strapped to his shoulders.
The uncommon spirit nourishing and driving his personality has always kept him calm and comported even in terrifying circumstances that normally scare public servants to succumb to pressures and challenges and, consequently, chicken out of capacity and desired performance.
If Prof Zulum convinces himself that he has to square up to any tall challenge on his way to console and comfort his dear vulnerable Bornoans in the remotest of communities, execution of any project or implementation of any policy, he is ever ready to take the hard way, if it is the only way, as the film maker would say.
He dares challenges on his way of discharging his duties and responsibilities, in the manner, not of Don Quixote fighting the wind mill, but of youthful David felling the towering Goliath of Gath with a sling.
Yes! With his uncommon spirit, he fells challenges on his way of discharging his constitutional duties and responsibilities to his people and state as would, David facing Goliath.
Moved by the spirit to deliver unprecedented service to his state, he displays the uncommon capacity to contain and control emerging tragedies while managing and assuaging existing ones.
He showcased this capacity recently when an epochal flood that deluged about a half of the Maiduguri metropolis, September 10, 2024, affected over one million people, displaced over 101, 330 households and destroying properties worth billions of Naira according to flood disaster relief committee.
While containing and mitigating the all-encompassing impact of the massive calamity to console, comfort, rehabilitate and resettle the affected population, Zulum still continues his normal all-year-round trotting around the state to minister to its different sections in the implementation of the reconstruction, rehabilitation, resettlement, de-radicalization, reintegration and repositioning policies and programmes of the state for rapid post-insurgency, post-flood recovery and prosperity.
As we usher in 2025, more landmark projects, resettlement of communities, livelihood intervention, sustainable growth and development will continue to take center stage of Zulum’s administration.
And so, Zulum is zulumifying governance in Borno State.
Dauda Iliya is the Special Adviser Media/Spokesperson to the Executive Governor of Borno State.
Zulumification Of Borno Governance
Fadile Pays Tribute to Late CJN Mohammed Uwais, Describes Him as “My Father in the Judiciary.”
By: Michael Mike
The first military-trained lawyer with a PhD in International Law in Nigeria, Col. Bello Fadile (rtd), has mourned the passing of a stalwart, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais GCON, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), who passed on at the age of 89.
Fadile, a prominent figure and author, paid a heartfelt tribute yesterday to the late jurist, describing him as “My Father in the Judiciary.”
Fadile recounted the remarkable story of how Justice Uwais, then CJN, intervened on his behalf during his detention in 1995, braving the military regime to ensure his release.
The Nigerian Army’s first lawyer tribute highlighted Justice Uwais’s unwavering commitment to justice, humility, and integrity. He quoted Uwais’s powerful statement: “A corrupt judge is more harmful to society than a man who runs amok with a dagger in a crowded street.”
Part of the statement read: “At the ripe age of 89, he left us in this sinful world as Allah SWT willed. We accept the vadict as appeal lies nowhere. To we the immediate families, we pray to Allah SWT to give us the fortitude to carry on relying on the principles he lived on and left for us which are:- humility, impartiality, humane, love, detribalised, uprightness and fear of Almighty Allah SWT.
“And to the Nigerian judiciary which he dedicated his life to, i urge you all to follow his footsteps, which he captured brilliantly;
‘ A corrupt judge is more harmful to the society than a man who runs amok with a dagger in a crowded street. The latter can be restrained physically. But a corrupt judge deliberately destroys the moral foundation of society and causes incalculable distress to individuals through abusing his office while still being referred to as Honorable “
“ As captured in my book, Lives: The Bello Fadile Memoirs, I shall forever be grateful to MyLord, the Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais GCON for the risk he took when I was arrested for the alleged fathom coup in 1995.”
Fadile who is the founder and chair of the Council for African Security Affairs, recounted how he was “detained near his house and I sent at note to him as the then CJN, without hesitation or fear of the military, his life or his job, he acted on my request and reached out Late Honorable Justice Karibi-Whyte and together they raised my detention with the Head of Military Government. And of course, they became my link to the Head of State, going and coming back with messages. What man with a lion heart.”
“On my release in March 1999. MyLord traveled from Abuja to Kaduna to see me. He came with clothes, bundles of sheda, and thousands of cash. That was my Father in the Judiciary for you. I was able to see him after 10 years in November 2024, and now he is no more.,” he added.
Fadile noted that late Justice Uwais’s legacy serves as a shining example for the Nigerian judiciary.
According to him, Justice Uwais’s remarkable life and contributions to Nigeria’s judiciary will be remembered for generations to come, adding that “his courage, integrity, and dedication to justice have left an indelible mark on the nation’s legal landscape”.
Fadile Pays Tribute to Late CJN Mohammed Uwais, Describes Him as “My Father in the Judiciary.”
Alau Dam: Zulum, Shehu of Borno Plead with FG to Expedite Rehabilitation Work.
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has called on the Federal Government to accelerate the rehabilitation and expansion of the Alau Dam to avert a repeat of last year’s devastating flood disaster.
Maiduguri and surrounding local government areas experienced their worst flooding in decades following the collapse of the Alau Dam in 2024. In response, the Federal Government approved N80 billion for the dam’s reconstruction and expansion, with a groundbreaking ceremony held in March 2025 to mark the commencement of the project.
Governor Zulum while responding to a request by the Shehu of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, on the need to fast tract the project, during the traditional Sallah homage at the Government House in Maiduguri. The Governor expressed concern over the slow pace of work, warning that the rainy season has already begun.
“After the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and expansion of the dam, which we all attended, the truth is that the work is not progressing as expected,” Governor Zulum stated.
“The last time I visited the President, I informed him about the true state of the project, and I assure you that I will not relent. I will continue to follow up, and I have also notified the Vice President as well. In the meantime, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) has constituted a committee to provide immediate intervention at the dam.”.
The governor pledged to connect all local government headquarters to the national grid before the end of his tenure. He also promised massive road rehabilitation once the Pulka quarry plant is completed.
“These are two critical issues dear to me, he said. I assure Your Royal Highness that all local government headquarters will be connected to electricity before my tenure expires, Insha Allah. Regarding road infrastructure, insecurity has been a major challenge, but we remain committed. We have procured 40 brand-new Howo tipper trucks, and once the Pulka quarry plant is completed, we will embark on extensive road rehabilitation across the state.”
Governor Zulum thanked the people of Borno for their continued support and cooperation to his administration.
Earlier, the Shehu of Borno, Dr. Abubakar ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi said the sallah homage has been part of the tradition during every festive season, acknowledging the unprecedented transformation the Zulum’s administration is executing across the state.
He emphasised the importance of expediting the Alau Dam project, noting that the first phase should have been completed by now. He referenced the recent flooding in Mokwa, Niger State, as a warning of what could recur in Borno if swift action is not taken.
“We witnessed the catastrophic flooding in Maiduguri on 10th September 2024, and we do not want a repeat, the Shehu said. The Federal Government must act immediately.”.
The royal father also urged the Governor to follow up with the Federal Government on oil exploration in Tuba, road rehabilitation, and electricity connectivity for local government areas.
During the event, Governor Zulum also received delegations from the University of Maiduguri, Kashim Ibrahim University, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, and Federal Orthopaedic Hospital, Azare, who paid similar homage.
Alau Dam: Zulum, Shehu of Borno Plead with FG to Expedite Rehabilitation Work.
Flooding: Zulum, Shehu of Borno Plead with FG to Expedite Rehabilitation Work on Alau Dam
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum has called on the Federal Government to accelerate the rehabilitation and expansion of the Alau Dam to avert a repeat of last year’s devastating flood which nearly submerged Maiduguri and environs.
Maiduguri and surrounding local government areas experienced their worst flooding in decades following the collapse of the Alau Dam in 2024. In response, the Federal Government approved N80 billion for the dam’s reconstruction and expansion, with a groundbreaking ceremony held in March 2025 to mark the commencement of the project.
Zulum, while responding to a request by the Shehu of Borno, Dr. Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, on the need to fast tract the project, during the traditional Sallah homage at the Government House in Maiduguri, the governor expressed concern over the slow pace of work, warning that the rainy season has already begun.
He said: “After the groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction and expansion of the dam, which we all attended, the truth is that the work is not progressing as expected.
“The last time I visited the President, I informed him about the true state of the project, and I assure you that I will not relent. I will continue to follow up, and I have also notified the Vice President as well. In the meantime, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) has constituted a committee to provide immediate intervention at the dam.”.
Meanwhile, the governor has pledged to connect all local government headquarters in the state to the national grid before the end of his tenure. He also promised massive road rehabilitation once the Pulka quarry plant is completed.
He said: “These are two critical issues dear to me, I assure Your Royal Highness that all local government headquarters will be connected to electricity before my tenure expires, Insha Allah. Regarding road infrastructure, insecurity has been a major challenge, but we remain committed. We have procured 40 brand-new Howo tipper trucks, and once the Pulka quarry plant is completed, we will embark on extensive road rehabilitation across the state.”
Zulum thanked the people of Borno for their continued support and cooperation to his administration.
Earlier, the Shehu of Borno said the sallah homage has been part of the tradition during every festive season, acknowledging the unprecedented transformation the Zulum’s administration has extended to all parts of the state.
He reiterated the importance of expediting the Alau Dam project, noting that the first phase should have been completed by now.
He referenced the recent flooding in Mokwa, Niger State, as a warning of what could recur in Borno if swift action is not taken.
The paramount ruler said: “We witnessed the catastrophic flooding in Maiduguri on 10th September 2024, and we do not want a repeat.. The Federal Government must act immediately.”.
The royal father also urged the Governor to follow up with the Federal Government on oil exploration in Tuba, road rehabilitation, and electricity connectivity for local government areas.
During the event, Governor Zulum also received delegations from the University of Maiduguri, Kashim Ibrahim University, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Kashim Ibrahim University Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, and Federal Orthopaedic Hospital, Azare, who paid similar homage.
Flooding: Zulum, Shehu of Borno Plead with FG to Expedite Rehabilitation Work on Alau Dam
Zulum donates N100m to wounded soldiers; families of fallen heroes
Fadile Pays Tribute to Late CJN Mohammed Uwais, Describes Him as “My Father in the Judiciary.”
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