Borno’s caregiver among top-3 finalists for World Humanitarian Award

Barrister Zannah  

Borno's caregiver among top-3 finalists for World Humanitarian Award

By Abdulkareem Haruna, Abuja (As published in Leadership January 19, 2015)

Barrister Zannah Mustapha, a Borno man who defied all dangers to run free school for children orphaned by the Boko Haram insurgency, which includes kids of dead Boko Haram members, is currently on the race to winning World Humanitarian laureate, a statement from Scotland said.

From Scotland, the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award is one of the prestigious globally respected honors bestowed annually on a group or individuals "who has shown selfless and dedication in a bid to save, enrich or improve the lives of others through the protection and promotion of human rights and work to deliver social reform".

In the 2016 edition of the Award, Nigeria's Barrister Zannah stands as one of the three finalists to be announced as winner on Thursday, January 21, 2015.

A statement from the RBHA office in South-Ayrshire, Scotland, signed by Denise Robertson, Public Affairs Manager of the RBHA, and exclusively made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, indicated that:  

"A founder of Mary's Meals, which feed one million children everyday; a lawyer who established a free school to children on both sides of Boko Haram conflict in Nigeria; and a life-saving British doctor know and Indiana Jones of Surgery are all in the running this week for a week prestigious award named in honor of Scots Bard".

The award was founded in honor of Robert Burns who during his time was known as an advocate for change and an inspiration for the founders of socialism and liberalism. He was a man who "viewed everyone as equal and genuinely lived as a true humanitarian…"

The Award looks at some persons or some one whose deeds follow the footsteps of the famed Scottish Burns.

The winner of the RBHA would receive a specially commissioned award handcrafted in Scotland and cash in the equivalence of 1759 Guineas, which signifies the year Burns was born and the coinage in circulation at the time – the amount equates 1,800 British Pounds in today's currency.

Barrister Zannah informed Leadership that he was very humbled to be nominated and eventually emerged as one amongst the three finalists.

"I solicit for prayers from my fellow Nigerian as stand among these great world citizens to run for one of the most prestigious global awards of all time".

The Borno lawyer started a little school at the back of his home, in Maiduguri, for the indigent members of the society in the year 2007. Funding the school largely from his pocket, he has so far graduated more than 300 boys and girls, while the school currently has over 450 children mostly those affected by Boko Haram insurgency taking quality education free of charge.