By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri
Governor Babagana Zulum has bagged the National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (COB) for his service to humanity and commitment to the plight of his people.
The conferment of the CON was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and made available to journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
The approval, contained in a letter issued by the minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume and coveted to the governor said “I have the honour to formally inform you that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammad Buhari, GCFR, has approved the conferment of the National Honours on you, in the rank of CON (Commander of the Order of the Niger)”, .
The minister, in the letter dated September 19, 2022, with reference number Ref: FMSDIGA/NHA/001k/T/90 said the honours investiture will hold in the morning of Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
National Honours are the highest honours Presidents of most countries confer on citizens who make exceptional contributions in service to their country.
It could be recalled that on Tuesday, August 28, 2021, President Mohammed Bazoum of the Republic of Niger decorated Governor Zulum with his country’s Second-Order National Honour, “de Grand Officer Dans I`Ordre”, which is the equivalent of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, in Nigeria’s ranking of national honours.
Governor Zulum has more than 20 awards from highest ranking newspapers in Nigeria and from high level professional bodies and academic institutions including the University of Ibadan, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, amongst others.