On Zulum: How Borno unveiled 299-page media compendium
Borno State on Monday held a public presentation of a 299-page compendium of published news reports, news analysis, features, columns, commentaries, discourse, editorials, selected speeches and scorecard in the first year of Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration.
The event, attended by dignitaries and representatives of all segments of the Borno society, held at the multipurpose hall of the Gvernment House in Maiduguri.
The compendium, with 17 thematic sections, was authored by a 20-member editorial team, led by the governor’s spokespersons and media associates.
Danjuma Gambo, a professor of Mass Communication and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Maiduguri, reviewed the compendium in the presence of many academics. He described it as “a smart, quick but also thorough and resourceful documentation of history”.
He said the compendium “is an all-in-one, invaluable aggregated research material, a template for prospective policy makers and a manual for courageous and purpose-driven progressive leadership”.
The don said what he found really interesting was the chronicle-style in which all materials were sorted with dates of publications, the news media’s mast heads and authors.
Speaking on objectivity, Professor Gambo said: “While I was going through all the 299 pages, I was expecting to see a one-sided compilation. I must say that I was highly impressed when I saw that the compendium entertained some stories that were critical of the governor, including one by the military.
“I think because of their journalism background, the compilers objectively collated all the key publications in relation to the Governor’s first one year in office” Gambo delcared.
Governor Zulum, in his remarks, paid glowing tributes to journalists, especially those living in Borno State, for their courageous reporting in the face of challenges.
He thanked the journalists in and outside Borno State for the support he had enjoyed from them; the evidence of which was the volume of reports on him which was collated by his aides into a rich compendium.
The governor, in company of his deputy and other dignitaries, ceremoniously unveiled the compendium that became available to the public at no cost.
Earlier, Borno’ State Commissioner for Information, Babakura Abba Jato, had welcomed guests to the occasion; while the governor’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, paid tributes to each of the 20 members in the editorial team, explaining the contributions they made.
