Before May 29, 2019 when Professor Babagana Zulum was sworn in as the new governor of Borno State, most residents of the state and those outside it’s shores did not know the secret behind the massive success recorded by his predecessor and mentor, Senator Kashim Shettima.
When the outgoing governor defied all pressure from within and outside the state to anoint Professor Zulum as his successor, many thoughtful he was placing the destiny of the fractured state in the hands of a novice who neither had any pedigree as a politician or deeper experience in public administration.
As a former Rector of Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri from, where he was picked and appointed Commissioner for the new Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Professor Zulum might have been overwhelmed by the offer from his boss asking him to step into shoes as the governor of the most volatile and delicate state at the time
But being an astute academician, he took the offer as a challenge to prove any Doubting Thomas that he was equal to the task.
While the good people of Borno State expected little or nothing in the areas of Infrastructural and Human capital development in Zulum’s one year in office, taking the state’s peculiar problem of Boko Haram insurgency into account, Zulum has surprised everyone with his unprecedented achievements, ranging from the beefing up of Security to infrastructural and social/ Human capital development within just one year in office.
Considering the peculiar problem of insurgency in the state, Borno people were left speechless and in utter admiration of the governor’s giant strides in all aspects of governance, whilst, meticulously revolving within the confines of his visionary, people-focused, articulated development agenda which he called: 10-Pact Transformation Agenda.
In a rare show of humility, the immediate past governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima stated at a public function in Kebbi State that “my successor Babagana Zulum is “better than me in all ramifications.”
Shettima, now representing Borno Central Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate, also described Zulum as a trustworthy leader.
According to the Secretary to the State Government, Usman Jidda Shuwa, Governor Zulum has undertook 375 projects within the first 365 days in office, which translates into one project per day.!
This is not only an exceptional record but novel in the history of Nigeria.
The SSG further revealed that 326 of the projects are physical in nature while the remaining 49 are capital intensive programmes and policies.
The scholar turned politician has shown clearly that his administration accords the security of its citizens high priority through its sustained efforts in providing the necessary support to security agencies to enable them secure the state.
One of his visible achievements in the area f security is the purchase and distribution of 300 patrol vehicles to the civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), military and other sister agencies.
He also established the Security Trust Fund as a vehicle for collecting donations and utilize it on the procurement of security equipments.
Through the efforts of his Rapid Security Response Team, several Boko Haram attacks have been repulsed and communities saved.
The Zulum Administration has created a special protection team called Agro-rangers which purpose is to protect farmers from frequent attacks by Boko Haram insurgence.
The administration has procured security gadgets to the CJTF and carried out an upward review of their allowances.
Even President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged the personal sacrifice that Governor Babagana Zulum is making through his personal visits to high-risk security areas to assess the needs of the people with a view to providing assistance.
Governor Zulum himself has confessed that he could not count the number of times that the insurgents made attempt on his life.
“I have lost count of the number of attempts that Boko Haram has made to eliminate me. But I know and believe that I will not die until my time has come, Zulum told journalists during one of his visits to the Presidential villa in Abuja.
Drawing from his vast experience in projects management, Governor Zulum has undertook more capital projects tha all the Nigeria’s 36 states put together as there is no sectors where the impact of his administration has not being felt.
In his desire to resettle the internally displaced persons, the governor has constructed 6,544 sub-urban and low-cost houses in 12 local government areas.
On security, 300 surveillance vehicles were distributed to security agencies and volunteers and these vehicles were captured under one project.
Governor Zulum APC-led administration’s outstanding achievements or exploits in the area of education within the one year in office, is breathtaking. It is on record that within the one year in office, 76 verifiable projects were undertaken across 21 LGAs. 49 projects are already completed with 27 ongoing in the education sector.
Zulum embarked on massive construction, rehabilitation and renovations of hundreds of blocks of classrooms and offices in schools.
With his giant strides in education within the first one year, the governor demonstrated that he was not oblivious of the fact that education is the key to scientific and technological advancement, the means to combat unemployment and the foundation of social equity.
On infrastructure, there are 40 projects in 9 LGAs which include 30 new roads many rehabilitated ones.
Above all, he is giving Maiduguri, the state capital its first flyover which will reduce traffic hold up in the metropolis.
In his efforts to restore civil authorities in the local government areas, the Zulum administration has undertaken 53 projects in 21 LGAs, 11 of which were new while 42 were reconstruction works.
The projects consisted of council secretariats, lodgings, police stations, LEA offices, courts and palaces of resident traditional rulers.
The administration has undertaken 38 water supply projects, including the drilling of 213 new boreholes, 18 electrification projects, 9 on agriculture and 7 on vocational skills and entrepreneurship development.
Despite the governor’s great achievements in many areas like health, education, and rural/urban development, concerned with the plights of the people, Governor Zulum drilled hundreds of solar powered boreholes, constructed and reconstructed several vocational centres or skills acquisition centres for job creation, constructed 53 municipal buildings in 12 LGAs.
The transport sector, in addition to the massive road construction projects, has witnessed remarkable improvements as Borno Express, the state-owned transport company, is witnessing rapid transformation.
Shading more light on some of the capital projects, Babakura Abba Jato, the Hon. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture in Borno State, stated that all the primary and secondary schools built in Borno are three storey buildings, fitted with interlocks and grasses.
“Each class must have an air conditioner with three sources of electricity; solar, a stand-by generator and our almighty PHCN.
“We also have functional teaching aides and when we went into lockdown, it was not a problem for us because all radio and TV stations could hook up to any school.
“There is what we call Kian technology which was introduced to us by an Indian company, about 1000 teachers were trained so every single subject that is taught in primary and secondary school is loaded into that system. Sometimes you don’t need a teacher to appear in the classroom, the teacher will stay in his house, log on to his laptop and then communicate with his students.
“That Kian technology has almost all the subjects and those subjects are well crafted and then tailored to suit our own house, the commissioner added.
Governor Zulum Adminitration’s giant stride on agriculture has manifested in the various irrigation methods introduced to farmers in the state which has resulted in the training of thousands of young people interested in farming.
Consequently, farmers in Borno can now plant any crops or seeds and expect a bumper harvest despite the weather.
The Administration has cleared 20,000 hectares of land around the Chad Basin where crops like rice, maize, guinea corn and millets are being cultivated.
The farmers have been specially trained to work with high speed vehicles on their farms under the protection of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel with whom they can communicate without the GSM nework.
The Anchor Borrower Programme has made indelible marks Borno State with the launch of the first ever rice pyramid which was unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
This has been followed up with the installation of rice mill in Zabarmari, procurement and repair of modern farm implements, establishment of woodlot plantations.
The Shehu of Borno, Mai Umar bn Garbai, in his tribute to Governor Zulum, said, Zulum’s landmark achievements is unprecedented.
“I wish to commend you for all that you have been doing for the people of Borno, especially on education, health, agriculture, job creation, social services, poverty alleviation, and distribution of food to the IDPs, said the Shehu of Borno
“The people of Borno are grateful to you in person and to your administration. We wish you many more years and Allah’s guidance,” he added.
One area which the Zulum Administration has come under sharp criticism was the distribution of relief materials to IDPs where critics accused many official of the state of diversion and misprooriation.
To check this alleged abuse, Governor Zulum transformed into a social worker by getting directly involved in the coordination and supervision of distribution of food, clothes and conditional cash to displaced persons in many communities across the local government areas of the state.
Zulum has personally supervised and distributed palliatives to hundreds of thousand individuals and families in 14 local government areas.
To address policy inconsistencies and lack of coordination in humanitarian response, Governor Zulum established Agency for Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response with the mandate of coordinating activities of non-governmental organisations, among many other interventions rendered in the area of humanitarian support and social protection.
The Zulum Administration oblivious of the strategic role that commerce and industry sector plays in the state economy and development, embarked on the rehabilitation and transformation of some state-owned companies such as BOPLAS, BOSCO, Borno wire and nail industry to make them profitable.
He also construction a new modern market in Kwaya-Kusar and market stalls in many LGAs.
Besides food production, the Zulum Administration has given due attention to ecology and biodiversity through the adoption of Firgi (dry season) farming, and construction of drainage systems, and raising of 2.7 million trees seedlings to counter erosion and flood.
With these track records, one can say with the benefit of hindsight that the Borno state governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has turned Boko Haram insurgence from adversity to prosperity for his people. He has proved the truism that says whoever destiny beckons to be great whatever he touches turns to gold. Zulum has touched every life Borno State through his projects, programmes and policies that are not only people-centred but people oriented.
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