Zulum: Six years of tireless service, visionary leadership, courageous reforms – Dalorima

By Hon. Umar Dalorima

A Heartfelt Felicitation to His Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Executive Governor of Borno State, on His Sixth Anniversary in Office

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the good people of Borno State and all well-meaning Nigerians, I extend my warmest congratulations and profound admiration to you on the occasion of your sixth year in office as the Executive Governor of our beloved state.

Your leadership has redefined governance. Your journey over these six years has not merely been a passage of time, but a period of tireless service, visionary leadership, and courageous reforms that have positively impacted millions of lives across Borno State and beyond. In a region that once stood at the edge of collapse due to insurgency, you have rebuilt hope, reclaimed dignity, and restored humanity.

Your Excellency, assuming office in 2019 at the peak of a devastating insurgency, many would have shied away from responsibility. But you embraced the challenge with unmatched courage. You chose to serve not from comfort zones, but from the frontlines, visiting communities, sleeping in dangerous terrains, and ensuring that your leadership was felt across every inch of Borno. Your humility, energy, and hands-on approach remain a beacon of inspiration.

Your most celebrated legacy, already written in history, is your fearless and pragmatic approach to addressing insecurity, resettlement, and rehabilitation:

You have resettled over 20 communities displaced by Boko Haram, facilitating the safe return of more than 400,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.

Through a robust collaboration with security agencies and the use of Civilian JTF and community-based vigilance, many formerly volatile areas such as Bama, Gwoza, Monguno, and Damasak are now experiencing a revival.

Your establishment of resettlement villages with thousands of newly built homes, schools, hospitals, and livelihood support has created models for post-conflict recovery globally.

You instituted bold reforms in the State Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR), which has become one of the most active arms of your government, rebuilding over 10,000 homes in various LGAs.

Your Excellency’s deep-rooted belief in education as a weapon against extremism and poverty has seen tremendous results:

Over 100 new schools and mega schools have been constructed across the 27 local government areas, equipped with modern learning tools.

You implemented an aggressive teacher recruitment and training program, absorbing thousands of qualified teachers while weeding out unqualified personnel.

The Borno State Education Trust Fund (BSETF) and various scholarship schemes have created access for thousands of indigent students to study at home and abroad.

The newly introduced Zulum Model Schools now set the benchmark for academic excellence and character development in the state.

The progress in healthcare under your watch is no less outstanding:

You built, renovated, and equipped over 80 primary healthcare centers, general hospitals, and maternity clinics in both urban and rural areas.

You introduced the Free Maternal Healthcare Scheme to curb maternal mortality and support women and children.

You commissioned new medical diagnostic centers and supplied dozens of ambulances to improve response in emergencies.

Health personnel are now better trained and more motivated, thanks to continuous capacity-building initiatives and prompt remuneration.

You have also left an indelible mark on infrastructure development and the economic rebirth of Borno:

Your administration has constructed more than 600km of roads linking communities and boosting commerce, even in hard-to-reach LGAs like Marte, Guzamala, and Kala-Balge.

You have revolutionized rural electrification through solar installations and mini-grids in dozens of communities.

Under your agricultural revitalization plan, Borno has regained its strength as a leading producer of grains and livestock, with thousands of farmers now supported through modern inputs and extension services.

Your strategic vision has also birthed initiatives like the Borno Plastic Recycling Plant, the Borno Agro-Processing Center, and several youth empowerment programs, all aimed at job creation and self-sufficiency.

Your Excellency, your modesty, fiscal discipline, and transparency in governance are widely admired. You have made budget documents publicly accessible, opened up the procurement process, and ensured that public funds are used judiciously.

Your personal integrity and refusal to be distanced from the people you serve is one of your finest legacies. Borno is not just witnessing infrastructural change, but a moral and ethical rebirth driven by your example.

As you mark sixth year, it is evident that Borno State under your leadership has been transformed from a war-ravaged territory into a beacon of resilience, development, and hope. You have restored dignity to displaced persons, reawakened the economy, inspired the youth, and reestablished trust in public institutions.

Your Excellency, words alone cannot capture the immense gratitude of the people of Borno and Nigerians at large for your sacrifice and service. You are not just a governor; you are a symbol of resilience, a champion of the people, and a leader of uncommon vision and resolve.

In a recent display of unmatched courage and leadership, You undertook a daring and heroic visit to the frontline communities of Marte, Kala-Balge, Dikwa, and Gamboru Ngala, areas recently rocked by renewed Boko Haram attacks.

At a time when many residents were fleeing in fear, You stand with them, offering hope, comfort, and assurance of government’s unwavering support. Your presence inspired many displaced persons to return, reaffirming their faith in the possibility of peace and restoration.

This bold act of resilience earned You the fitting title of “The Civilian General,” a name that reflects both the depth of your courage and the strength of his commitment to your people. Upon your return days later, thousands gathered to celebrate a leader who has continually placed himself on the frontlines of service, compassion, and sacrifice.

As we celebrate this sixth milestone, we pray for your continued strength, wisdom, and divine protection as you steer Borno State into an even more prosperous and peaceful future.

UMAR LAWAN DALORIMA
Hon Commissioner, Borno State Ministry of Finance & Economic Development
Writes from the Holy City of Mecca, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.