The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai-El-Kanemi, has “disclosed plans to honour Kebbi Governor, Nasir Idris, with prestigious traditional title of ‘Zannan Borno’.”
The Special Adviser to Governor Idris on Communication and Strategy, Abdullahi Zuru, confirmed this in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.
Mr Zuru said “the Shehu, who also serves as the Deputy National Chairman of the Northern Nigeria Traditional Rulers’ Council, made the disclosure when he received a delegation of the Kebbi Governor’s Media Team.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that “the governor’s media team is on a nationwide advocacy and engagement visit to major media organisations and critical stakeholders in governance across Nigeria.”
Zuru quoted “the Shehu of Borno as eulogising Gov. Idris for his outstanding leadership, which he said, had earned him widespread admiration and acceptance beyond Kebbi, adding that’s what informed his choice for the Zanna title.”
According to the royal father, “the ceremony will be a historic and grand national event, with the date for the turbaning to be announced in due course.”
The Shehu said: “The event is expected to attract prominent personalities from across politics, governance, traditional and religious institutions, the technocratic sector, and industrial labour unions from within the country and beyond.”
“The decision to make the ceremony a national event reflects Gov. Nasir Idris’s wide reach and associations. I have been closely monitoring the governor’s activities since his assumption of office three years ago.”
“I particularly commend the governor’s cordial relationship with traditional institutions and religious leaders of all faiths, his engagement with government functionaries at all levels, and his holistic and productive approach to socio-economic and infrastructural development in Kebbi.”
“These sterling leadership qualities by Comrade governor have remarkably strengthened the cordial relationship between governmental, non-governmental, and traditional institutions in parts of the country,” he said.
He observed that “the governor had also commendably improved the well-being of the people of Kebbi, while his efforts in confronting the security challenges were equally commendable.”
The Shehu also “commended his counterparts in Kebbi; the Emir of Gwandu, Muhammadu Ilyasu-Bashar; the Emir of Argungu, Samaila Muhammad-Mera; the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Zayyanu Abdullahi; and the Emir of Zuru, Muhammad Sanusi, for their valuable contributions and support to the governor and the Northern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council.”
“It is on the basis of the governor’s exceptional leadership and the successful execution of impactful developmental projects, policies, and programmes that we resolved to confer on him the prestigious traditional title of Zannan Borno,” he said.
Earlier, “the leader of the delegation and Kebbi Commissioner for Information and Culture, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed-BK,” said “the team was at the Shehu’s palace to pay homage and seek royal blessings ahead of their engagement with critical stakeholders in governance.”
Ahmed-BK added that “the team would also use the opportunity to showcase the performance and achievements of Gov. Idris in the last three years.”