Me Kayi?” Bauchi Group Sets to Honour Pate, Dogara, Buba, Soro, Wunti  others as, National Community Champions

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From Paul Orude Bauchi 

A Bauchi-based civic organisation, “Me Kayi? Me Za Kayi wa Al’uma?”, has announced plans to host its inaugural Community Champions Awards, aimed at recognising individuals and organisations that have made outstanding contributions to community development and humanitarian service.

Speaking at a press briefing held at the NUJ Secretariat in Bauchi on Monday,, the Convener and Leader of the organisation, Comrade Ilyasu Ibrahim Zwall, said the awards were conceived to promote accountability, integrity, and participatory governance.

Zwall argued  that the celebrated citizens have positively impacted society through concrete actions.

According to him, the organisation derives its name from the Hausa expression “Me kayi? Me za kayi wa al’uma?” meaning “What have you done, and what will you do for the society?”

He described it as a moral compass for leadership and citizenship.

He explained that the group was formally registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on June 29, 2018, following concerns over the growing disconnect between leaders and ordinary citizens, a gap that often narrows only during election periods.

“Our mission is built on two core objectives: providing dignified support to the less privileged, and sustaining community participation in service and development,” he said.

Zwall recalled that on January 1, 2019, the organization published the names of outstanding national contributors in Daily Trust newspaper, stressing that the current awards represent a continuation of that vision.

He announced that the upcoming awards will honor recipients across various sectors, including employment generation, education and scholarships, infrastructure development, youth and women empowerment, healthcare support, technology innovation, religious and social welfare, energy, and non-governmental interventions.

Among those selected for recognition are Prof. Ali Pate, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, for healthcare access and workforce development; Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara and Hon. Nura Manu Soro for scholarships and infrastructural development; Hon. Kabiru Yusuf (Makaman Duguri) for capacity building and empowerment; Sen. Shehu Buba Umar for medical bill interventions and patient welfare.

Others are Prof. Fatima Ja’afar Tahir, the first female Vice-Chancellor of Sa’adu Zungur University, Bauchi, Dr. Hadi Usman for technological innovation, Development Exchange Centre (DEC) for community-led NGO interventions, Barr. Saratu Jibrin and Lydia Shehu for women empowerment, Dr. Bala Maijama’a Wunti for religious development and welfare, and Alhaji AYM Shafa for energy sector contributions and entrepreneurship.

Zwall noted that none of the award recipients had been contacted prior to the announcement, emphasising that selections were made after careful field verification of projects and impacts.

He further disclosed that following the awards, the organisation would commence an independent evaluation of Northern and North-East governors, focusing on governance performance and community impact.

Calling on the media to partner in amplifying positive stories, Zwall urged journalists to help identify unsung heroes across neighborhoods, markets, schools, and communities.

“These legacies are not written on paper, but in the lives they have touched,” he said, while encouraging citizens to nominate individuals who exemplify selfless service.

The “Me Kayi? Me Za Kayi wa Al’uma?” Community Champions Awards is expected to attract wide public interest, highlighting grassroots leadership and reinforcing the role of citizens in nation-building.