The author of the Standard Ebira English Dictionary and a veteran Journalist, Yusuf Ozi-Usman has forwarded his name to a Committee set up by the Kogi Government for the award of honour to those who have contributed to the development of the State in many fields of endeavours.
The State Government had set up the committee a couple of weeks ago in line with the State Honours Award Law, pursuant to sections 15 and 16 of the Law to fish out individuals who have distinguished themselves for the good of the State in their callings.
The Committee is being chaired by a Retired Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice H.A. Olusuyi, with eight others as members. Barrister Okpanachi Saliu was appointed as the Secretary to the Committee.
In a virtual submission of his intent, Yusuf Ozi-Usman, who is the Editor-in-chief of flourishing Greenbarge Reporters online newspaper and hardcopy magazine, drew the attention of the committee to his contribution to the literary profile of Ebira society.
He said that apart from the Ebira English Dictionary which he wrote, produced and launched in Kano in 1998, being the first ever since the coming of the tribe in the 16th century, he also launched the reviewed edition of it, titled Standard Ebira English Dictionary in Abuja in 2022.
“I also initiated and co-authored the Holy Qur’an Translation in Ebira language and was launched in 2021 in the Palace of the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji, Dr. Ado Abdulrahman Ibrahim.
“The Ohinoyi launched it with one million naira.
“Other co-authors are Sheikh Moosa Onogu, Sheikh Musa Ogaminana, Ustaz Ismail Abarigi (an Arabic lecturer at the University of Abuja) and Ustaz Murtala Abdal-Rahman.”
Yusuf Ozi-Usman has also authored many other books, including a research one titled: “Buhari and His Team of Change to Next Level” (in Amazon); “In the Nerve Center of Kano State Government”; novels and authorbiography.
The Honour Award committee had since responded to his self nomination by saying, via WhatsApp “seen and noted.”
This was even as the name of Alhaji Abubakar Imam, the Dan Amana of Ebiraland, has also been submitted to the committee.
The Executive Director of a None Governmental Organization (NGO) Network, Mohammed Bougei Attah, who nominated Alhaji Abubakar Imam, said that he was recently crowned the Onizeiza (Dan Amana) of Ebira by late Ohinoyi Ado Ibrahim, for his community development initiative and philanthropic gestures.
Attah gave series of evidence of Imam’s community service, philanthropy and astute support of peace, in addition to his successful endeavour in the private sector.
The award ceremony, which is scheduled to come up in January 2024, will be part of the inauguration ceremony of the incoming administration of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, who won the November 2023 Governorship election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).