Zulum, The Engineer Of New Borno

By Bukar Bolori

Borno State used to be described as a home of peace until Boko Haram lay siege on it and rubbished almost all the achievements of great leaders like Mohammed Goni, Mala Kachallah and Ali Sheriff.

They did not allow the great mind of Kashim Shettima to be put to great use to take the state to the pinnacle of development. But Shettima though was made to drop tries severally as a result of wanton destruction of Boko Haram during his administration had the last laugh on the terrorist group with the discovery of a gem in an academician who have an eye for development and has the audacity to bulldoze everything to achieve goals.

The name of the man is no other than Babagana Umara Zulum. The Professor in politics with a touch of engineering. Zulum register himself to the psyche of the people of Borno State when he was made the Rector of the state owned polytechnic, Ramat Polytechnic, an institution which he turned around and showed that he is a man for great jobs.

Shettima could not but give him the job of becoming the pioneer commissioner for reconstruction, rehabilitation and relocation, perhaps the major job on offer in his government.

Zulum performed magic and was the darling of the people of Borno who saw in him a man with the magic wand and great ability to turn things around. When the time to chose who becomes the next governor came and Shettima went to town to get the feel from the people, he got a unanimous voice of Zulum is it!

Shettima threw his weight behind the people’s choice and the rest they say is history and Borno is a great winner today. The destruction that could have taken ages to reconstruct is almost completed all thanks to Zulum. Projects after projects were springing up everywhere in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital that was once an eyesore after the siege of Boko Haram. The traces of Boko Haram has fast varnished and all that could be seen is a modern capital city on the horizon.

The Maiduguri of today can now compare in structure with every other city in Nigeria, in terms of road, flyovers, schools, modern markets, hospitals, just name the facilities. Maiduguri is not the only beneficiary of Zulum’s magic, everywhere in the state, his signature is seen, and one who not but marvel that an engineer is surely at work.

Zulum has equally changed the work ethics of the people of Borno with abundant rewards for hard work and discipline, he is a man that you may wake up to see supervising ongoing projects, checking on hospitals to see how patients are being administered to and being the first public worker at the State Secretariat.He has shown to be a man with great love for everyone in Borno, the indigenes and those that have come to seek living, he is in fact that friend of the poor.

He had personally ensured the distribution of palliatives in all seasons at every nooks and crannies of the state. He has evolved various housing policies to give comfort to all, he has evolved various loan schemes to assist businesses, he has commissioned public transportation scheme that make the harsh economic situation without pains.

He has even assisted in ensuring those that came into the state can return during festivities to their family without pain and return back with delight with the project of getting free buses to transport people to the south of the country during Christmas season.

The military and security people working in the state are his friends as he had severally giving them mighty resources handshakes and he had given a piece of his heart to the family of the deceased heroes fell in securing the state.

Zulum is definitely a man for the time like this in Borno and even with over three years remaining of his administration, he has definitely gone to the top of the ladder of the great leaders of Borno. All hail the engineer of modern Borno, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum.

Bolori, a public affairs analyst sent this piece from Maiduguri