Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has rewarded Mrs. Marbel Ijeoma Duaka, a veteran health worker from Anambra State, with a fully furnished two-bedroom home in recognition of her extraordinary service and courage during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency.
The presentation took place on Tuesday, October 7, in Mafa Local Government Area, where Governor Zulum paid tribute to Mrs. Duaka’s enduring commitment to public health in one of Nigeria’s most challenging regions. He described her as a symbol of selflessness and resilience, noting that she remained at her post at the Mafa Primary Healthcare Centre for more than two decades, even when many fled for safety.
“During the Boko Haram crisis, most people left, but she stayed throughout despite being a non-indigene. She has been working here for over 24 years and has never left Mafa for a single month,” Zulum said. He added that Mrs. Duaka’s care had touched his own family, revealing that she had attended to several of his relatives, including his late mother.
Governor Zulum’s gesture extends beyond the house gift. In appreciation of her steadfast service, he also granted automatic employment to Mrs. Duaka’s son, Anthony, a Banking and Finance graduate from Kashim Ibrahim University in Maiduguri. The appointment, he said, was both a reward for loyalty and a recognition of a family that has quietly served the people of Borno through decades of hardship.
