Poetry Is A Vehicle To Tell Borno’s Development Story….Bundi

Bodunrin Kayode

The Senior Technical Adviser (STA) on Print and Digital Media to Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, Abdulrahman Bundi, has described poetry as a powerful implement that can effectively be used by government to reach out to the people.

The STA digital media in a recent poetry competition in Maiduguri posited that other creative platforms by young people can equally be used as vehicles for communicating vital government policies, achievements and experiences of citizens by way of feedback.

While speaking at the finals of a poetry competition organised by the office of the Borno governor in conjunction with MI Bagudu Talk Show in the government house Maiduguri, Bundi extolled the gains of the literary word in the realm of politics and government.

The STA  who represented Governor Babagana Zulum in the final session of poetry in honor of the governor noted that creative expressions could effectively complement conventional methods of communicating government programmes through press releases, newspaper advertisements and official statements.

He posited that poetry has the capacity to tell stories that ordinary speeches may struggle to capture, while transmitting ideas, values and experiences from one generation to another.

Bundi revealed that the Zulum administration had demonstrated its commitment to transforming Borno State despite inheriting enormous challenges created by almost two decades of insurgency, which destroyed infrastructure, educational institutions and healthcare facilities.

He used the forum to reveal that the administration had constructed more than 120 new schools and rehabilitated thousands of classrooms and related facilities as part of efforts to improve access to quality education.

The STA said that the interventions had contributed to a reported reduction of more than 71 per cent in the number of out-of-school children across the four states referenced in the programme.

He further hinted that, the expansion of healthcare services, including specialist facilities and the strengthening of primary healthcare, was aimed at making quality medical services more accessible, particularly to vulnerable populations.

On infrastructure, the governor’s aid listed major road projects, four flyover bridges, drainage infrastructure, ordinary bridges, public buildings and modern educational facilities among the projects undertaken by the administration.

He said the projects had significantly reshaped the physical landscape of Borno’s capital and contributed to the state’s ongoing recovery and development.

Bundi further stated that the administration had prioritised agriculture as a pathway to food security, employment creation and economic recovery.

He said support for agricultural inputs, irrigation and improved farming systems formed part of government’s strategy to strengthen the sector and improve the livelihoods of citizens.

Speaking on the impact of insurgency, Bundi said Borno has borne one of the heaviest costs of insecurity in Nigeria, stressing that the administration had continued to support vulnerable households, rebuild affected communities and pursue the resettlement of displaced persons.

Zulum’s representative maintained that the objective of the resettlement programme was not simply to return people to their communities, but to restore the conditions necessary for normal life.

Bundi said the government’s collaboration with MIA Talk Show was informed by the belief that public communication should go beyond conventional media platforms.

He advocated for greater use of storytelling, poetry, documentaries, digital media, creative arts and other innovative platforms to connect government policies and achievements with the everyday experiences of the people.

The special adviser commended the organisers of the poetry competition for creating a platform through which creative and intellectual expression could be used to tell the story of governance and development in Nigeria.

The STA also commended the participants for demonstrating creativity, talent and intellectual depth through out the competition, describing their performances as evidence that Borno was not only a state of resilience and courage but also home to enormous intellectual and creative potential.

The STA also acknowledged the presence of the APC gubernatorial candidate Mustapha Gubio  who was equally represented and other dignitaries like the Chairman of Gubio council area Mali Gubio who donated handsomely towards the launch of the collection of poetry in honor of Governor Babagana Zulum.