In Marama: Kadafur attends Bura Cultural Day 2025

…….Launches the MCDA Almanac with the sum of 20 ,000,000 Naira.

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor H.E Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has assured the good people of Marama that State Government Committeed in providing more developmental initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the people of Marama and the entire state.

The Governor Stated this today in an address that was delivered during the Annual Bura Cultural Day ,popularly known as Marama Day which was held at Marama Town, Hawul Local Government with the theme “Preserving The Bura Cultural Heritage”

The Borno State Governor who was represented by His Deputy H.E Umar Usman Kadafur laid more emphasis on the administration’s commitment to improving infrastructure, quality education, enhance healthcare services and creating a conductive environment for sustainable economic activities.

The Governor further said Government is also Committeed to support initiatives that promote cultural preservation and development and will recognize the importance of cultural festival in enhancing tourism, creating job and fostering an environment of peace and prosperity.

The Marama festival according to the Deputy Governor stands as a testament to our commitment to supporting the growth of our communities in all aspects be it culturally, socially or economically.

The Deputy Governor later encourage every one of them to carry the spirit of this celebration throughout the year, not just in words but in deeds, as we work toward a better future for our people in Borno State and the country in general.

Kadafur also reiterate his appreciation to everyone who has contributed to the success of this years Marama day and pray that may the celebration continue to inspire joy, pride and unity that will ensure that the culture and values of Marama, Hawul local Government area and our state continue to flourish for generations to come.

The Chairman Hawul Local Government, Mr Useini Yunusa Malgwi in his welcome address said the Marama Annual Cultural Festival was initiated to reflect on the significance of cultural activities and has over the years brought people together to foster a sense of community belonging and provides a platform to express themselves, showcase their talents and share their success stories.

The Chairman commend Borno State Government under the leadership of H.E Prof Babagana Umara Zulum and his Deputy H.E Umar Usman Kadafur for identifying with them every year during and after the celebration and request the state government to provide Marama Central Primary School with fence and additional classrooms.,repair of Yimirshika, Sakwa, Marama, Kidang Road.

He thanked the Governor for the general overhaul of the Marama General Hospital ,provision of basic amenities in the areas of Agriculture, Education and Youth empowerment programmes and appealed to the government to fulfill all the promises it has made to establish College of Agriculture in Marama, Completion of Marama Dam among others.

In their Separate good will messages the Emir of Biu HRH Alhaji Mustapha Umar Mustapha, the Emir of Shani and the Emir of Fika commended the organisers of the occasion for their initiative to showcase and reflect the significance of Bura Cultural Activities and called on them to unite with each other irrespective of their differences.

The deputy governor has earlier Commissions Police Out Post project initiated and constructed by the Marama Community Development Association, indicating the community’s commitment to security and development.

The Borno State Deputy Governor later officially launched the MCDA Almanac with the sum of 20 million naira and was conducted round in company of all dignitaries around to inspect Artifacts at the Pavilion.
Various traditional dances were featured during the occasion.

He also donated the sum 10 Million Naira to Bura Women Association for the purchase of materials for in their skills acquisition centre in Marama town.

The event drew notable dignitaries, including the Emir of Fika, Emir of Biu, Emirs of Shani and Shelleng, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Member House of Representative representing Hawul and Askira Uba ,Members of the state House of Assembly representing Biu and Hawul, Retired Justice Ibrahim Auta Ndahi, Local Government Chairmen of Hawul, Biu, and Shani, Special Advisers to the Governor, Senior Special Assistants (SSA), and other political party stalwarts.

In Marama: Kadafur attends Bura Cultural Day 2025

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

Zulum: I will clear all liabilities before I leave office in 2027

By: Michael Mike

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has approved N8 billion for the payment of the backlog of liabilities in pensions and gratuities for retired primary school teachers and other civil servants in the state, promising that clear all the backlog of pensions and gratuities before leaving office in 2027

The N8 billion will clear liabilities accrued from 2019 to 2021.

Zulum announced the approval on Wednesday at the council chamber of the government house in Maiduguri.

The governor had released N3 billion in June and September, 2019, to clear gratuities of 1,684 retirees that left the civil service between 2013 and 2019 and disbursed over N12 billion in 2020 for retirees that left both the state and local government civil service between 2013 and 2017.

Zulum said: “Since I took over in 2019 to date, we have paid about 25 billion naira for the settlement of gratuities for those that have worked with local and state governments.”

Meanwhile, he has assured that his administration will settle all the backlog of gratuities and pensions before the end of his tenure in 2027.

He said: “Insh’Allah, I will clear all the backlog of gratuities before I leave office in 2027.”

Zulum: I will clear all liabilities before I leave office in 2027