He is the true game changer; the man who has re-written the narrative of Nigeria’scrisis-riddled political landscape. He is the exception rather than ‘the rule of the parlous picture painted of poor quality leadership by not a few governors in some other states. While theirs is characterised by unfulfilled electoral promises, ego-trip, chest-beating over decrepit infrastructure, lack of affordable and accessible medical care, several out-of-school children and workers agonising over months of work without pay, he stands head and shoulders above his peers.
Interestingly, his purpose-driven administration made the needed impact within his first year in office. For instance, within 365 days he undertook 375 projects, of which 326 stand as physical projects with the remaining 49 as capital-intensive. With 375 projects in 365 days that equates to an average of one project per day! These are in sync with his carefully thought-out development mission, aptly tagged: ‘10-Pact Transformation Agenda’.
From people-friendly, primary healthcare delivery through modern agriculture practices to massive infrastructural development spanning all the local governments, they are all visible noteworthy landmarks for the world to see.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
– Benjamin Franklin
In fact, one critical sector that has got observers of the polity applauding his outstanding efforts is his administration’s concerted efforts on quality education delivery in the state. He must have sat himself down and realised the bitter truth that what would transform Borno state from that of terrorism-ravaged status to that of a highly enlightened and passionate workforce is nothing but quality education.
Taking the bull by the horns, he embarked on massive construction, rehabilitation and renovations of hundreds of blocks of classrooms and offices in schools, with all of them well-equipped with the much-needed-tech learning facilities. After assessing the rehabilitation of some primary schools in the state capital, Governor Zulum said: “The intention of this administration is to rehabilitate all the 76 existing primary schools in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council. Additional classrooms will be constructed where there’s a need for it.”
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Among the thirteen primary schools which enjoyed rehabilitation in the first phase of Zulum’s initiative include Goni Damgari Primary School, Maimalari Barracks Primary School, and Mustapha Umar Elkanemi Integrated Qur’anic Model Primary School.
Furthermore, in 2020 he successfully commissioned two mega schools which the government built in low-income communities of Borno State. The schools are fully equipped with desks and chairs and are provided with water and perimeter fence facilities. Each of the schools has 30 classrooms enough to accommodate about 40 to 50 pupils. This means that about 3,000 pupils now have access to 60 classrooms.
Good enough, the state government provided pupils already admitted with free uniforms. While the schools will be run by the communities, the state government will pay the teachers’ salaries. To make them functional the government has employed 1,000 additional teachers for the state. Apart from the provision of facilities, attention is given to the training and re-training of school teachers. This was flagged off with the training of 800 newly recruited teachers by the state government under this administration. The training was organised by Borno State Teaching Service Board, in collaboration with IlmuKa’ande Education Consult LTD.
To inculcate the spirit of dedication to duty, Governor Zulum paid an unscheduled visit to Shehu Sanda Kyarimi 2 Primary School around 6:30 am to see how the school’s infrastructure could be improved. On getting there, the governor discovered that Mazi, a level 12 teacher, was the only one who had resumed duty while the other teachers were not around.
Mazi, who is from Abia State, has reportedly been teaching for 31 years. The governor was so impressed by her commitment to work that he rewarded her with a cash gift of N100,000 and promotion to the post of Assistant Headmistress! Such a noble gesture has no doubt driven home the salient message that dedication to duty eventually pays.
Commendable also is the government’s focus on the rehabilitation of children who unfortunately live in IDP camps. As part of Zulum’s humanitarian trip to Damasak, at the shores of Lake Chad, a total of 1,163 children of IDPs were enrolled in primary schools in Mobbar Local Government Area (LGA)tofacilitate the governor’s enrolment campaign.He also stated that social welfare and other assistance from the government will be restricted to parents who allow their children to attend schools.
It is noteworthy that the pupils, who were from Guzamala and Abadam LGAs in northern Borno, had been out of school since their parents were displaced by Boko Haram fighters, following attacks on their communities over the years.
Not left out of the pragmatic measures to boost quality education delivery the governor also approved N578 million scholarship for 23,894 students of Borno citizens. These include those pursuing Masters and PhD degrees and undergraduate degrees in different tertiary institutions within and outside Borno State. It is also worthy of applause because the payments are made into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts as at when due.
To underscore the significance of Zulum’s efforts on the holistic revival of education in Borno State Mastercard Foundation, which is one of the largest foundations in the world that works almost exclusively in Africa, had predicted that the number of young people in the continent’s workforce is set to increase to 375 million by 2030. There is, therefore, the urgent need to improve the quality of primary and secondary education on the continent.“Quality, relevant secondary education is critical to ensuring young people have the skills and competencies they need to succeed in work and in life.”
It was created in 2006 by Mastercard International and operates independently under the governance of its own Board of Directors.The Foundation’s work is guided by its mission to advance learning and promote financial inclusion for people living in poverty. It seeks a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper, just as Zulum is advancing in Bornu state.
The lasting lesson that reverberates in the minds of Nigerians nay Africans is the fact that Zulumknows as Malcolm-X rightly noted that: “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
His winning the prestigious Nigeria Union of Journalists’ 2019 Award, for “Most Promising First Term Governor in Nigeria”, which was said to be in recognition of the governor’s “shocking performance” is, therefore, well deserved. In fact, it topped a nationwide comparative assessment carried out by a group of seasoned journalists.
Other state governors should come to terms with the fact that education remains the key to technological advancement, just like the political leaders of Japan, South Korea, China, United States, Germany and Singapore have since done. And on the African continent, that is exactly what Paul Kagame of Rwanda has been doing to combat unemployment and bridge the social inequity divide.
What all these boil down to is that the giant strides Governor Zulum has taken over the past six eventful years have cumulatively impacted positively on the Human Development Index (HDI) of the citizens of his embattled state, Bornu. That shows the inalienable fact that committed leaders do not require ages to be prepared for the onerous tasks on hand.
As the Greek philosopher, Aristotle stated succinctly, “The roots of education may be bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” Keep going forward, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum. History will certainly judge you right as one of the rare heroes of Nigeria’s troubled democracy.
