Governor Babagana Workaphile Zulum’s new age, 57, opens a vista on a golden future for Borno
Dauda Iliya
The Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, will turn 57 tomorrow, Tuesday, 25th August, 2026.
Lest we forget, his middle name is ‘Workaphile’, a fond name he acquired for his passion and commitment to work, and for his almost year-round trotting around the state, coordinating reconstruction and ministering to the needs of the terrorised population.
It is pertinent to view this year’s birthday celebration far beyond the usual, mundane, and insipid tradition of sending birthday wishes and congratulatory message placements in the print and electronic media and on social media pages, and the rollout of programmes or social activities for that purpose.
As his last birthday in office, Zulum’s new age, 57, its celebration and what he has, as a public servant and governor, accomplished by its attainment, are all bound by the bond of faith in the sacredness and potency of the covenant he struck with his fellow Bornoans who elected him their governor in 2019, and re-elected him in 2023.
The covenant: On their unshakeable faith in his character, credibility, capacity and commitment to coordinate the course of their affairs according to their needs and aspirations, they would elect him governor. He would, on his part, deploy that character, credibility, capacity, and commitment, and perhaps even more than expected, to govern them according to those needs and aspirations.
They fulfilled their own part of the covenant. They elected him in 2019, and re-elected him in 2023. He is fulfilling his part with as much zest and credibility as he can muster in all circumstances.
At 57, his zest for that fulfilment has attained its zenith. For him, there is no alternative to that fulfilment.
At 57, his focus is firmly fixed, much more than at any time over the last seven years, on breaking the tape at the finish line, with record-breaking accomplishments in purposeful and prosperous governance.
In broad terms, his own part of the covenant requires him to deploy all available resources to mitigate the terror-orchestrated humanitarian crisis suffered by his people, deliver a state safe and secure from terror and solidly placed on the broadway of sustainable recovery and prosperity in all sectors of life, come 29th May, 2027.
He has vowed not to disappoint his new age, 57, about this.
Powered by his public service name, Workaphile, he now operates his governorship machine at full throttle, steering expertly, avoiding potholes and bumps, on the highly dilapidated road of Borno governance.
It is startling to note that Workaphile Zulum has, as he attains 57, spent more than 4,000 days in office, both as Commissioner of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement and Governor, thinking Borno, serving Borno, executing programs, projects, policies and initiatives for the reconstruction, growth and development of his terror-battered state.
While receiving prominent sons and daughters of Gubio Local Government Area recently in Maiduguri, the Workaphile, also hailed as Servant Governor, reflected on the challenges he encountered at the beginning of his administration in 2019.
He recalled how he stood face-to-face with the gargantuan imperative to make enormous sacrifices to confront the state’s security and humanitarian crises.
“When I took over the leadership of the state, in the first 55 days of my administration, I saw my children only three times. The first four years were really challenging, but Almighty Allah has helped us to see light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
At 57, he is, more than at any time over the last seven years, firmer in his vow to beam that light permanently on the state as he strides out of office come 29th May, 2027, brandishing his towering list of accomplishments.
As he strides forth with much more gusto than ever before, Governor Workaphile Zulum knows no holidays or festival breaks. He knows no rest. Rest, for him, comes after the fulfilment of his own part of the Borno Covenant, as credibly as is required of him.
That is when he will rest in the full comfort of his uncommon credibility and integrity. He has, at 57, resolved to source his rest only from an exceptional fulfilment of his part of the Borno Deal.
Over the last seven years, he has travelled extensively across all the local government areas of Borno State, trotting even to the most remote communities to engage directly with residents, understand their challenges, and respond swiftly to their needs.
This showcases the depth of his commitment, compassion, and an unmatched sense of duty in governance.
Over the last seven years, he has galloped across his terror-ravaged terrain from Damasak at the Nigerien border and Wulgo and Gamboru at the Lake Chad shores and the Cameroonian border down to Bayo at the border with Gombe State, armed with his UN-praised Borno Model, snatching comprehensive recovery from the fangs of an epochal humanitarian crisis.
He has known and done nothing less than laying the foundations for the reconstruction of critical infrastructure; commissioning completed infrastructure; relocating and resettling displaced communities in their ancestral homes to rebuild their lives towards the rapid resuscitation of the state economy; and distributing palliatives to the vulnerable population; providing succour to communities rescued from the terrorists.
This is how Zulum has governed Borno State for the past seven years. This is how he is; at 57, he is governing it better as his covenant with his people stares him in the face.
He was just a few months away from turning 50 when he assumed office in 2019, undeniably younger and perhaps more energetic then. Yet the same fervour he brought to humanitarian work and statewide engagement at 50 remains, if not exceeds, what he demonstrates today at 57.
The Governor has consistently said: “Leadership is not about living in your comfort zone and then addressing people and addressing their concerns, but coming directly to the doorsteps of the less privileged. This has been my tradition; this has been my culture since I assumed duty as the governor of the state.”
He has always said: “I cannot remember when I lived consecutively for 10 days in my office or even one week since I assumed duty. I’m always in the remote areas attending to people, and I believe this is what we should do from now on to the end of my own administration.”
Marvelled by his credibility, capacity and commitment, and his uncommon passion for the deployment of these enviable qualities to governing Borno State, an expansive population of prominent personalities and statesmen across the country and the globe have showered praises on him.
Just a few:
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Tinubu in a tribute: “Babagana is one of those luminescent north stars of meritocratic rise in the Nigerian political firmament. From humble beginnings, his tenacious pursuit of personal growth and, later, expeditious state and national development serve as a guide for Nigeria’s future generations. Borno State and Nigeria at large are fortunate to benefit from his benevolent brand of modest, rigorous, and visionary political and administrative leadership.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima GCON
“Certainly, Your Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, you are one of the best-performing governors in the federation”.
Reflecting on their succession relationship, Shettima said: “Our state was very lucky to find such a person in Professor Zulum. Allah made the recruitment of a successor. Borno State got it right with him. I think that is ‘magic'”.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres
Following his May 2022 visit to Maiduguri, Guterres said: “The Borno I found today is a Borno of hope. It’s a Borno with a future, and I was very impressed to see the policy that is being applied here, recognising that we don’t fight terrorism just by military means”.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye
The minister was speaking at the High-level Retreat of Nigerian Ambassadors, Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Diplomatic representatives in Maiduguri
“We once travelled together with the Governor. It was a night flight. I didn’t sleep at night. This governor worked throughout the night. There were four other governors on the flight. They all slept. And when we got down in Abuja, I asked, you did not sleep. He said, yes, day and night I’m thinking of Borno State”.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR
At a January 2026 peace summit, the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, said: “I congratulate Governor Zulum for his very glaring achievements in bringing peace and development to the state, despite numerous challenges… I also thank him for his usual hospitality and wish him the best in all his endeavours”.
A school teacher at Konduga, Hauwa Mohammed:
“I never thought a governor would walk into our school without warning, sit on a broken bench, and ask us what we need. But Governor Zulum did.” A displaced mother in Monguno, Mama Ya Kura, said: “Governor Zulum came to our IDP camp himself. He asked about our children’s education and health… He gave us not just food — but dignity”.
At 57, our dear covenant-fulfilling governor, Professor Babagana Workaphile Zulum, gives us joyful tidings of a golden future time.
Your Excellency, hearty congratulations; I wish you more years in your life, and more life in your years.
Dauda Iliya is the Special Adviser on Media/ Spokesperson to the Borno State Governor.
