Michael Olugbode
The President of Republic of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum, yesterday decorated the Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, with the country’s second highest national honour, ‘de Grand Officer dans I`Ordre’, which is the equivalent of Nigeria’s Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Bazoum said he was honouring Zulum after monitoring the governor’s courage, sincere fight against the Boko Haram sect; deep concern on the plight of Borno’s citizens taking refuge in some parts of Niger Republic which the governor has visited many times, offering support and steadily evacuating and resettling the refugees in new houses built in the state.
A statement issued by the governor’s spokesman, Mallam Isa Gusau, said the decoration was performed in Zindar as part of events lined up by the Federal Government of Niger to celebrate the country’s Independence Day.
Zulum’s Niger’s national award is only second to ‘Grand Croix Des Ordre National Du Niger’, which is the equivalent of GCFR, and only serving president in Niger normally gets the award.
It was the first time a Nigerien president would honour a Nigerian governor with the country’s second highest national award.
Zulum, who was accompanied by Senators Kashim Shettima, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Monguno; Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bukar Talba, to receive the award, said the honour would not make him relent in his devotion towards the Borno people.
President Bazoum later invited Zulum to accompany him to inaugurate the 138km Zindar road project and the 22 megawatts power project also in Zindar.
Niger Republic annually celebrates independence on August 3 with festivals which the French-speaking country calls Fête de l’Arbre, with activities that include tree planting.
