At a recent award night in Lagos, Nigeria’s business capital, 37 eminent personalities were honoured in different categories for their unique contributions to society. Senator Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna state, received the loftiest honour that night, being crowned the Best Governor of the Year....Read The Full Story Here ▶
The award undoubtedly symbolises the impact of the quality leadership demonstrated by Senator Uba Sani since he assumed office just over a year ago. His leadership has garnered attention from residents and received positive reviews from observers even outside Kaduna.
This recognition also highlights the governor’s firm commitment and resolve to pursue all avenues that could lead to his administration’s success, particularly culminating in providing the dividends of democracy to the majority of the population.
_My Media Africa_, the organisers of the event, tagged the “5th edition of the 2024 Africa Illustrious Award,” stated on their Wikipedia page that “the annual event recognises individuals who have excelled in leadership, philanthropy, community development, arts, culture, and business.” The profile also noted that Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno state, won the maiden edition in 2020.
At this year’s event held a few days ago, _My Media Africa_ explained that Uba Sani was highly recommended based on his administration’s achievements in infrastructure, the restoration of relative peace, and the reduction in killings in the state. These certainly are incontestable, observable facts that have created sufficient visibility for the governor within one year.
“You will notice that there is relative peace in Kaduna compared to the days of the previous administration. The Governor has been doing great in infrastructure and other areas, and he came highly recommended. The killings are not as frequent as they were on a daily basis in the last administration,” the organisers emphasised.
These distinctions highlighted by the organisers are the focal point of the recognition. For instance, many communities that previously faced nightmarish inter-communal, inter-ethnic, or interreligious confrontations now experience relatively peaceful coexistence. In terms of infrastructural development, the administration’s track records in one year are visible in education, healthcare, rural roads, and skills centres.
The recognition by the organisers and those who nominated and voted, particularly regarding the drastic reduction in killings in the state, is the most remarkable message they have conveyed. Before Uba Sani assumed office, the state was overwhelmed by terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers, creating an atmosphere of terror and fear. However, today, freedom has returned to most communities, and the alarming newspaper headlines have disappeared.
But how did the governor achieve this? Less than two months into his administration, on Wednesday, 12 July, the governor held a special meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Army Staff, and Chief of Air Staff in Abuja to discuss ending the insecurity in Kaduna State. He pledged to support the security agencies with logistics to facilitate smooth counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations.
The governor didn’t stop there. In September, when the CDS visited him in Kaduna, he requested the prolonged stay of special forces and the expansion of Operation Safe Haven services to more local governments to address security challenges in communities bordering states like Zamfara and Niger. This synergy, as expected, has led to the decapitation of criminal elements, with only a handful remaining.
To boost security vigilance and encourage actionable intelligence at the community level, the state government recruited 7,000 men and women into the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS) and also signed the Kaduna State Security Trust Fund Bill 2024 into law. Additionally, the government procured and donated 150 operational vehicles and 500 motorcycles to security agencies to mark the administration’s one year in office. The Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other agencies are now working under the new name Operation Fushin Kada to eradicate the remaining criminals in the state.
A few days after the award, the Southern Kaduna Journalists’ Forum (SKJF) applauded the synergy between Governor Uba Sani and the CDS, Gen. Christopher Musa in tackling insecurity, anticipating that farmers would no longer fear accessing their farmland because of molestation by bandits and kidnappers. This commendation has come from various quarters in recent months.
In a nutshell, the award will uplift the morale of the governor and his team, whose relentless devotion to governance is yielding the desired appeal, much like a captivating brand on a shelf. The government may wish to celebrate this new achievement as another milestone.
James Swam, former Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State and Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Kaduna Chapter, is the author of *How to be an Effective Spokesperson*
