Zulum wins Zik Prize for Leadership

Zulum Wins 2019 Zik Prize for Leadership

By Sadiq Abubakar

Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum has been presented with the 2019 Zik Prize for Leadership. He was represented by his chief of staff, Prof Isa Hussaini Marte at the presentation which held on Sunday December 6, 2020 in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Zulum, who was among eight other winners in different categories, became the first Governor to win the prize while serving his first term, which shows his development-oriented leadership in spite of security challenges in the his State of Borno. Governors who won the award did so in their second term in office. 

Announcement for the winners of the 2019 Zik Prize was earlier made in September this year, by Professor Pat Utomi.

Beside Zulum other winners listed include the Senate President Ahmed Lawan, SGF Boss Mustapha, Dr. Stella Okolli, Prof Umar Dambatta, Kennedy Nduka in various categories of public service, business and professional leadership. 

For good governance amongst Nigeria’s 36 governors, Prof Utomi had listed Governors Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, another governor from the southeast in same ‘good governance’ category with Professor Zulum of Borno state as winners. 

Utomi however took longer time to pay tribute to governor Zulum saying his performance had made him the toast of Nigerians from all part of the country.

The annual award, named after late Nnamdi Azikiwe, is organized by the Public Policy Research and Analysis Centre, PPRAC, which is chaired by Professor Jubril Aminu, a former minister and senator. The board has Prince Emeka Obasi as executive secretary while members include Professor George Obiozor, Chief Marc Obara, Chief Tola Adeniyi, Alhaji Abdulazeez Udeh and Pat Utomi. 

The Zik prize for leadership has become one of Nigeria’s prestigious awards given the credibility of advisory board members of the PPRAC who are notable personalities most of them with background from the academia.
#