Zulum Appoints Ex-minister Tijani As SSG, Reappoints Marte

Governor of Borno State Babagana Umara Zulum has approved the appointment of former minister of state for agriculture and rural development, Malam Bukar Tijani as secretary to Borno State Government (SSG). The governor has also reappointed Professor Isa Hussaini Marte as chief of staff.

The two appointments were announced by the governor’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau in a statement issued, yesterday.

The statement noted that Zulum considered Tijani’s very high level experience from his services as minister from July, 2011 to September, 2013 and as assistant secretary-general/assistant director-general (ASG/ADG) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

Through both offices and other national positions such as being the national coordinator for Nigeria’s National Programme for Agriculture and Food Security as well as his coordination of the World Bank’s Fadama project, the former minister visited about 50 countries for different official engagements and he made significant contributions to the development of agriculture and food security in Nigeria, Africa and at the global level.

62-year-old Tijani was born in Damasak but hails from Dikwa local government area of Borno State.

The former minister holds a Master of Science (degree) in Tropical Agricultural Development from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, obtained in 1989.

Before that, he obtained his Bachelor of Science (degree) in Plant and Soil Science from 1982 to 1984 at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama, United States of America (USA).

At later years, Malam Tijani attended courses with certificates at the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) at Turin, Italy, in 2014; at Alliance Française, Accra for Diplôme D’études en Langue Française from  2015-2017; at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) at Topo- Badagary in Lagos for Advanced Management Training in 1994; at the University of Reading, UK for Management Skills on Rural Development in 1993; at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan for Cowpea and Soya Bean Production and Utilisation in 1987 and at Borno College of Agriculture, Maiduguri for Diploma on General Agriculture from 1978- 1980.

At his earliest stages of growth, the former minister attended Yerwa Government Secondary School, Maiduguri, from 1973 – 1978; Gubio Primary School, Gubio  from 1970 – 1973 and Monguno Primary School from 1967 – 1970.

Professor Isa Hussaini Marte hails from Marte local government area of Borno State. He had served as Governor Zulum’s chief of staff from August 17, 2020 to May 26, 2023. The Professor had previously served as Borno State’s commissioner for Higher Education from August 2019  to August 2020. He also served as overseeing commissioner of health in 2021 while being chief of staff. He held both positions under the Zulum administration.