Yobe: Brief on the new Emir of Gudi

By: Yahaya Wakili

The new Emir of the Gudi Emirate Council in Yobe State, Hon. Alhaji Ismaila Ahmed Gadaka, was born in Gadaka town, then the Fika Native Authority, later the Fika Emirate, in the Northeastern State on 27th October, 1963.

The Emir started his western education at Gadaka Central Primary School from 1971 to 1978, Government Secondary Tech. School Kukawa, Borno State, from 1978 to 1983, and Farm Training Center, Mamudo, Yobe State, from 1984 to 1985, and then proceeded to the University of Maiduguri from 1987 to 1992 and NYSC 1993, where he obtained a B.Sc. (Public Admin.).

HRH the new emir of Gudi, Hon. Ismaila A. Gadaka, attended various courses in and outside Nigeria, including the Savings Officers Course, UBA plc Kano Training Center, Tellers Course for Brains/Vsat Branches and Customer Services Course, Advance Information System Office Automation Course, IBFC Accounting and Banking Operations Basic Course, Marketing Skills Development Course STB, and Introduction to Credit Lagos (STB).

Others include, Debt Recovery Management Lagos STB, Basic Accounting course Robert Morris,

Advance Customer Care Course (STB), Credit Analysis Course (Robert Morris), Advance Credit Management Course (STB), Professional Selling Skill, Supervisory Management Skill Course, and Intermediate and Service Magic Course.

Hon. Alhaji Ismaila A. Gadaka started his working history at the Borno State Board of Internal Revenue as a tax-collecting assistant; at the Borno State Agriculture Development Programme (BOSADP) as a field extension agent; at NYSC (Savannah Bank Kano); at the Secretary to the State Government’s Office (Chieftaincy Affairs) as a local and government inspector II; at the College of Administration and Basic Studies, Potiskum (as an instructor of local government admin. and taxation); at the United Bank for Africa, Maiduguri (as an officer); and at UBA plc, Buni-Yadi (as a business manager).

The places where the new emir of Gudi works include Standard Trust Bank (STB), Damaturu, as profit center manager; Standard Trust Bank, Damaturu, as business manager; United Bank for Africa plc Damaturu, business manager; and UBA plc, Maiduguri Monday Market, as business manager.

Hon. Alhaji Ismaila A. Gadaka ventured into politics, where he held many political appointments, which included Comm. of the Yobe State Ministry for Integrated Rural Development, Comm. of the Min. for Animal and Fisheries, Comm. of the Min. for Land and Survey, Comm. of the Min. for Commerce and Industries, and Hon. Member of the House of Representatives, Fika/Fune Federal Constituency at the 7th Assembly from 2011 to 2015.

The new emir also went for a second tenure at the Federal Constituency, representing Fika/Fune at the 8th assembly from 2015 –2019. Yobe State coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG) Steering Committee from October 2021 to 2023, as well as the secretary of contact mobilizations for the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

He was also the Secretary Contact and Mobilization of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council Northeast, Assistant Secretary of the Yobe State Campaign Council, Chairman of the Yobe State Local Government Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee, and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (T), Yauri, Kebbi State.

On Sunday, 3rd August, 2025, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Dr. Mai Mala Buni CON, COMN, Chiroman Gujba, appointed Hon. Alhaji Ismaila A. Gadaka as a first-class, second Emir of the Gudi Emirate Council in Yobe State. The new emir succeeded his brother, the late Emir, Alhaji Isa Bunuwo Ibn Madubu Khaji, who passed away on 31st July, 2025. The new emir’s hobbies are reading/research and horse riding.

Yobe: Brief on the new Emir of Gudi

TRIBUTE:

ZULUM@56: Footprints in Leadership

By: Inuwa Bwala

At the risk of restating what has been said before, I say that, one of the greatest legacies, Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s current Vice President, left for Borno state, was in discovering the hidden potentials in Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, and propping him up as Governor.

No doubt, Babagana Umara Zulum has been an excellent academicianbut I know that leadership courses may be taught in the classroom, but leadership qualities can not be learnt in the classroom. Education may refine personalities, but such attributes are essentially products outside academic learning.

Leadership qualities are personality traits shaped and reshaped over time, from ones upbringing, experiences, and exposures.

One cannot therefore say, that, even as a Professor of Engineering, Borno state Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum developed his leadership accumen from the academics alone. His early life played a greater role in bringing out the best in this leader servant.
Many people did not give him a chance in a highly sophisticated political environment like Borno. Not especially with his perceived lack of experience and the circumstances on the ground, where no citizen goes to sleep with both eyes closed.

But the story has changed since, and the virtual darkhorse: that Babagana Zulum was, has become the song on the lips of the people of Borno, Nigeria, and the International community.

If not because the tenure of political office is prescribed by law, many citizens would yarn for him to continue.
As we count down, beaming the searchlight for a successor in the next two years, the dilemma is who could fit his shoes and reach the raised bar.
I overheard him saying recently that, “I may not have succeeded in taking Borno to where I hoped to, but I am hopeful that God will bring somebody after me, who will do better than we have done”.

Those words, pregnant as they were, defines the type of leader Borno state Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zull, is.
He has proved bookmakers wrong and
there are very strong indications, that,he may have just begun ascending.

In the face of the serious challenges facing Borno State, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and it is only a matter of time before the state gets out of the doldrum.
Unlike others, Zulum does not need hired hands to tell his success stories, as the name of the Borno State helmsman is today the beautiful lyrics on the lips of most Nigerians, when you talk of leadership.

While some may say that, the security situation, cum the living conditions of most Nigerians leave little or no room for celebrations, those who may have witnessed the ugly days under which Zulum started to date, may agree with me, that we have every reason to smile.

Nigerians do not need to listen to, read, or watch Babagana Umara Zulum, as most of them are by now familiar with his leadership style. Ask most Nigerians on the street, and they are bound to single out Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, as one of the best. One can not fault the Governor either if he beats his chest, for making his mark even in the face of the daunting challenges posed by Boko Haram and ISWAP.

Against the national outcry, that the problems of Nigeria oscillate around leadership, Zulum did not leave anybody in doubt from inception that, he would make the difference in leadership.

It is no longer news that, Borno has been the epicenter of Boko Haram activities in the last sixteen years.

It is also a fact that the chunk of the state’s resources, under successive regimes since the outbreak of the insurgency have gone into managing the situation and rebuilding damaged infrastructure but for the Governor to make achievements, even ahead of other, who virtually had no challenges, calls for celebrating him.

The creation of the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement, RRR, with Zulum as its pioneer head, may not have come at a better time, and indeed, these Ministry has continued to make impacts, long after he left.

For a very long time to come, and long after he may have gone as the governor, the people of Borno state shall always pay tribute to the exceptional vision of Zulum and indeed his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima.

Professor Zulum’s exposure at the Ministry of RRR, was not an academic course, but it may have prepared him very well for leadership and for the job of the Governor.

He assumed office with a clearly defined goal, which he combined with his passion for peace and development. In fact, those who often analyse his ten point agenda always focus on peace and development as the fulcrum.

Chronicles of his achievements will be quick to point out that, the immediate task Zulum set out to achieve on assuming office, has been the restoration of peace in areas most affected by the insurgency and the resettlement of displaced people to their ancestral abodes.

In doing this, Zulum embarked on agressive rebuilding of structures into which the returnees will settle, even as he pushes for the annihilation of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, by complementing Military efforts with civilian components, including local hunters, vigilantes and Civilian Joint Task Force volunteers.

I have said it before, that, Zulum took some very risksy adventures in visiting the epicentre of the emergency, along with the military, for which he has been attacked several times.
People often wonder where he gets the resources to undertake some of the tasks when they see him rebuilding communities and giving out palliatives to displaced people and returnees.

While it may be true that the hinterland had recently experienced a resurgence, it is also a truism that, a visitor to Maiduguri and major towns in Borno can attest to the rapid infrastructural transformations taking place under the governor. I have heard people refer to Maiduguri as the new Dubai because of the changing face of the ancient city.

Those whose job it is to compile Governor Zulum’s leadership report sheet will tell us the remaining story, but as he marks his 56th birthday and as he celebrates his midway journey as governor, I wish to correct certain erroneous notions and state that, the story of despair amongst citizens, as being painted in some quaters do not reflect the true situation in Borno.

I state without any fear of contradiction, that we have crossed the Rubicon, and the future of a peaceful and progressive Borno under Governor Babagana Umara Zulum is a reality.
Happy birthday and congratulations to the people of Borno.

ZULUM@56: Footprints in Leadership

Troops launch rescue operation for abducted Edo seminarians, hunter injured in Kogi ambush

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army have launched a joint rescue operation for two abducted seminarians from Ivianakpodi Minor Seminary, Agenebode, Edo State, with support from vigilantes and hunters.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation followed credible intelligence indicating that the victims were being held in the Alarke village axis, beyond Awara area of Kogi State.

According to the source, the troops, accompanied by local vigilantes and hunters, advanced into the suspected hideout at about 5:15 a.m. on Sunday.

“While moving behind the hills of Alarke, the team ran into an ambush by the kidnappers. A hunter, Mohammed Abubakar, 30, sustained gunshot wounds to his right thigh and was immediately evacuated to Cross Nations Consultant Hospital, Lokoja, for treatment,” the source said.

The troops said efforts were ongoing to rescue the abducted seminarians unhurt and apprehend the culprits.

They commended the contributions of vigilantes and hunters in the operation and assured that the victims would soon regain freedom.
End