Governor Zulum Become Muslim Personality Of The Year, As Oloyede Rated Top 5

Governor Zulum Become Muslim Personality Of The Year, As Oloyede Rated Top 5

The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has been named the Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year 2019 by Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper.



Professor Zulum’s emergence as the Muslim News’ Nigerian Muslim Personality of the Year did not come as a surprise going by his unique and excellence in governance exhibited since assumption of office barely a year ago as the governor of Borno, the hardest hit northeastern state by the Boko Haram terrorist group.



Zulum, a Professor of Soil and Water Engineering replaced the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Saad III who won the most coveted award in 2018.



The Sultan, who also doubles as the President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), was recognised for his consistent advocacy for peace and unity among the Muslims in Nigeria, a gesture he has continued to sustain.



In a statement signed by the Deputy Editor of the Islamic newspaper, Hajiah Bushrah Olagunju-Matemilola, the Governor was rated having done well in the areas of security, education, health, transportation regulations, economic and humanitarian support for the citizens of different local governments within the state.



“As a former Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement under former Governor Ahmed Shettima, Prof. Zulum has continued his rebuilding exercise of hundreds of communities destroyed by Boko Haram and likewise, finding a safe haven for millions of citizens displaced by the attacks which have since continued albeit drastically curtailed by this current administration.



Hajiah Olagunju-Matemilola said the medium recognised Governor Zulum’s commitment in nipping the debilitating activities of the Boko Haram insurgent group in the bud and his drive towards socio-economic development with his laudable actions and policies as factors that made him deserve of the award.



According to her, ‘We at Muslim News resolved to appreciate the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, a devout Muslim, with this prestigious award for his fierce stand against the nefarious and anti-Islamic activities of Boko Haram in Borno State; for ensuring important developmental actions in every nook and cranny of the state and for his excellent service across all socio-economic strata in the state vis-a-vis the civil servants, market women, artisans, retirees and even soldiers on the war front”.



“The thoroughbred Nigerian professor, despite the daunting challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency has continued to push socio-economic developmental strides on all fronts. His years of service in different governmental capacities in Borno state were characterised by diligence, hard work and commitment.



“Zulum has declared a total war against the insurgent Boko Haram ravaging the nooks and crannies of Borno State. He introduced and recruited more hands in the CJTF with an increased salary in a bid to see the end of the Boko Haram insurgency.



“His developmental policies are well felt across the strata of the state. From civil servants to artisans to market women and even the retirees, Zulum has impacted lives within this short period of his stay in office. He came out boldly declaring that his personal political philosophy does not agree with the payments of salaries and gratuity as achievements worthy of celebration,” he said.



She noted that the governor of Borno State, Professor Zulum had represented Islam excellently in his efforts aimed at changing the narratives with respect to politics and governance in Nigeria.



Besides, she disclosed that within the short period of his emergence as the Chief Security Officer of Borno State, Zulum has contributed immensely to the growth of Islam with keen concern in Islamic education and Islamic affairs in general.



Hajiah Olagunju-Matemilola alluded to the immense contributions of Professor Zulum to Islamic awareness in Nigeria, noting that his packages for those who pursue Islamic education are laudable.



Dr Ali Pantami Emerges First-Runner Up Among Top Muslim Personalities



Dr (Sheikh) Ali Pantami, an indigene of Pantami community of Gombe State, in the northeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria.



The renowned Islamic scholar changed the face of global technological space since he was appointed by President Buhari Muhammadu in September 2016 to head the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), one of the then newly created government agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications, saddled with the responsibility of “developing and regulating Information and Telecommunications Technology (ICT) in Nigeria.”



His uncommon leadership qualities and outstanding performance at NITDA is applauded by all and sundry. Sheikh Pantami spearheaded so many positive contributions in the Nigerian and global ICT ecosystem revolution. These included the youth empowerment and promotion of good governance and like his boss (President Buhari), Pantami has zero-tolerance for corruption. Thus, he led his agency to a partnership with EFCC to fight against corruption in the ministry.



Allah (SWT) in His infinite mercies finally heard the prayers of those who saw the astounding transformation at NITDA as the President on his election for a second term, elevated Dr Pantami, entrusting him with higher responsibilities as the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy in Nigeria.



Since his swearing-in in August 2019, Pantami, a PhD holder from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, has been changing the narratives with his innovative and impactful policies.



Being a devout Muslim scholar with in-depth Islamic knowledge is perhaps what further attracted us at Muslim News, Nigeria’s most authoritative Islamic newspaper to developing a keen interest in the leadership style of Sheikh Pantami, who once worked as the Head of Technical Writing at the Islamic University of Medina.



MN Celebrates Prof. Ishaq Oloyede’s Rating Top 5 Muslim Personalities



Professor Ishaq Olanrewaju Oloyede described as the poster boy for decency, efficiency, financial modesty and service in the Nigerian Public Service was also mentioned among the Top 5 Muslim Personalities Of the Year 2019



An academic juggernaut, Oloyode has always written his name in gold right from his formative years even before he became the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin).



His giant strides in standing for Islam as a devout Muslim individual and the portfolio he holds as the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) cannot be over-emphasized as this, no doubt, has earned him a lot of friends and foes alike.



Surprisingly, however, the Professor of Islamic Studies continues to prove his worst critics wrong and dazzle his teeming supporters with his enviable qualities and inestimable contributions to the development of a saner Nigeria since he returned an unprecedented whopping sum of N5 billion to the Nigerian government treasury within a year of his assumption of the leadership of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) (between 2016 to 2017) as against the sum total of N50 million remitted by the previous management of the board over 7 years (from 2010 to 2016). There is no doubt that he is a Muslim technocrat per excellence.



During his years as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, he restored sanity to all departments and units of the institution, making it rank first in Nigeria with an uninterrupted academic calendar which of course endeared the Citadel of Learning to many, making it the most sought after University in Nigeria.



Signs and imprints of his legacies are still very much the guiding principle at the institution.



Prof. Lakin Akintola’s Rated High Among Top Muslim Personalities



Ishaq Lakin Akintola, a Professor of Islamic Eschatology at the Lagos State University is one of the forerunners of Islamic activism in Nigeria.



Consistently and unsparingly, he frowns at anti-Islamic policies, laws, practices and initiatives in Nigeria. He is a staunch defender of the Muslim underdogs and the voice of thousands of voiceless Muslims.



In spite of abuses and tantrums hurled at him by irreverent critics, Prof. Akintola along with his team remains unwavering, as he continues to wax stronger in his peaceful activism, propagation and advocacy through the mechanism of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) which he initiated.



Coincidentally, as at press time, he acknowledged that copies of a new petition written to the 9th Senate of the need to allow Hijab in the army, police and paramilitary agencies have again flooded the social media coming just a few weeks after he led the awareness advocacy on this same topic in the media.



Professor Akintola’s name is synonymous with Islamic advocacy. He is a torn in the flesh of the oppressors, violators of human rights, religious jingoists and extremists, as well as tribal irredentists. He follows keenly, cases relating to the victimisation of female Muslims for donning the Hijab.



From Amasa Firdaus to the ISI school girls, WASSCE candidates to the harassed NYSC lady, the University teacher is always available for the activism.



Prof. Fatimah Batul Mukhtar Ranks Among Top Nigerian Muslim Personalities



Professor Fatimah Batul Mukhtar, the current Vice-Chancellor, Federal University, Duste is the fifth (5th) in the list of the top 5 Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the year 2019.



Fondly called Mama FUD by lovers and admirers within and outside the university community, she is one of the powerful Muslim women breaking the barriers inhibiting girl-child education, especially in the north-western region of Nigeria.



Against all odds, not just as a respected Muslimah, Prof. Mukhtar broke the gender stereotypes in education and rose to become the first female Vice-Chancellor in the north-west geopolitical zone of Nigeria.



To be precise, on February 14, 2016, Prof. Mukhtar was appointed by the Buhari-led Federal Government as the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Dutse and took over the mantle of leadership of the nine-year-old institution.



Four years later, the Professor of Botany with plant physiology as her area of specialisation transformed and changed the public perception and narrative about the institution, lifting it to an enviable status and distinguished alma mater for all students across tribal and religious backgrounds.