By Muhammad M. Isa
Bappa Zailani, a veteran Journlist and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University spokesman has been appointed by the government of Zamfara State as the Media Aide to the Governor.
Zailani, who untill his appointedment was the Chief mouthpiece of ATBU Bauchi.
Born in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, the Zamfara Governor new media Aide attended Day Primary School Azare from 1972 to 1978 and proceeded to Government Secondary School Ningi in 1978 and obtained his Senior School Certificate in 1984.
The quest for higher education catapulted this media guru to Bauchi College of Art and Science in 1984 to 1986 and between 1986 and 1991, he found himself robing minds with intellectuals at the University of Maiduguri.
After graduating from University of Maiduguri, he was posted to Ibadan for his mandatory National Youth Service where he taught English at staff development center, between 1991 – 1992. Thereafter, he became a Reporter with Bauchi Publishing and Printing Company (BPPC) between 1992 and1995.
He later joined New Nigerian newspapers as a reporter from 1995 to 2009 and rose to become the Bureau Chief (NorthEast) New Nigerian Newspapers 2009-2010.
The tireless and invective journalist later bulldozed his way to become the Senior Assistant Registrar Information and Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University ATBU Bauchi in 2010 where served until 2013. He became the Principal Public Relations Officer, ATBU 2013-2014.
By 2014, Mr Bappa was already heading to the high places of his carreer as he was made the Assistant Chief Public Relation Officer of the University lasting from2014 to 2016 when he was confirmed the Chief Public Relations Officer of ATBU.
He joined the membership of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) 1992, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in 2006 and Association of Nigerian Universities’ Professional Administrators (ANUPA) in 2010.
He has also served in different capacities of responsibilities such as Chairman, Gamji Memorial Club, UNIMAID, Vice Chairman, NUJ, Bauchi State Council 1998-2000, Chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel, NUJ, Bauchi state Council 2004-2008 and Public Relations Officer, NIPR Bauchi State Chapter 2007-2009.
The ever active journalist was also the Secretary, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Bauchi State Chapter between 2009 and 2011,
Chairman, Bauchi State Chapter of Journalists for the prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT) from 2008 to 2010,
Chairman, Media Committee on Good Governance (MCG) facilitated by
BBCWST Media Forum in 2010 and Secretary Ceremonies Committee (ATBU) in 2010 as well as Desk Officer Freedom of Information Act, ATBU.
Among several of his escapades around the corridors of responsibilities, Mallam Bappa Zailani was able to prove his doggedneess as a capable hand in every ramification, as such he was also a Consultant (Human Interest Stories) UNICEF Zone Field Office, Chairman, Education Committee NUJ (Bauchi State Council), Chairman, Electoral Committee NUJ (Bauchi State Council) among others.
Zailani has equally attended and presented many conference papers including, Effective Press Relations (NIPR, Bauchi) 2010,
Internal Communication in an Organization (NIPR, Bauchi State Chapter) 2014, Effective News Reporting and Writing (ATBU, Bauchi) 2018, Fake News and the Social Media in Nigeria (ATAP, Bauchi) 2018 and Youth and political Violence in Nigeria (Fed.Poly, Bauchi) 2018.