NIPR Inducts Jigawa Governor as Patron, Lauds Transformation in Agriculture

The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, performed the investiture of Jigawa State Governor, His Excellency Umar Namadi, as Patron at the State Secretariat in the capital, Dutse. 

At the event which is in fulfilment of the NIPR Act that designates state governors as the Institute's Patrons and the President of the Federal Republic as Grand Patron, the Jigawa state chief executive was also presented with the Diamond Prize for Excellence in Food Security in recognition his transformative agricultural programmes aimed at enhancing food security.

Speaking at the colourful event which had in attendance Council Members, Fellows, senior members of NIPR as well as top officials of the state government, the President and Chairman of the Council of the Institute, Dr. Ike Neliaku lauded the governor for being a dynamic leader who has consistently remained in touch with the grassroot. 

Dr. Neliaku also announced that the Institute is considering the establishment of Umar Namadi Prize for the best graduating student in Mass Communication at Khadija University, Majia and setting up Centre of Excellence in Development and Agricultural Communication in one of the universities in the state in honour of the governor's people-focused leadership.

“The reason is simple, Jigawa is an agrarian state and you are making a lot of efforts to feed not just Nigeria, you can feed West Africa; you can feed Africa you can feed the entire world.

“Therefore, we don’t want to be winking in the dark. We want your great efforts to be pushed out, but you know we cannot do it alone because we are not always in Jigawa State. We need partnership,” Neliaku said.

In his remarks, Governor Namadi dedicated the honour to the people of Jigawa, especially small and large-scale farmers and all other stakeholders who have directly contributed to the state’s success story in agriculture. 

“It is their resilience, hard work, and commitment to the common good that have made these achievements possible. I assure you that our administration will continue to place the welfare of our people at the forefront of our policies and initiatives,” he said.

While thanking NIPR for the Diamond Prize, the governor described it as a recognition of the modest achievements of his administration in the agricultural sector, adding that it would spur him and his team to strive further to make the state the leading destination for commercial agriculture in the country.

Earlier, the Institute's leadership had paid a condolence visit to the governor over the demise of his mother, Hajiya Maryam Namadi-Umar, and his son, Abdulwahab Umar, praying God to console the bereaved family, government, and people of Jigawa.

The governor also took the team on field inspection of a farmland where his government gives support for wheat irrigation, an initiative aiming to upscale the state's production capacity to ensure food security in the country.