It was an Indian spiritual teacher, Sadhguru who said in one of his quotes: Integrity, insight and inclusiveness are the three essential qualities of leadership. One Nigerian leader that possesses those qualities is Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd). In January 2021, he began work as the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the country was entering a new phase in the battle against the debilitating crisis of illicit drugs, especially in the many Nigerian urban cities. Undeterred by the weight of the task before him, the former military governor of Borno and Lagos States rolled his sleeves and got to work.
Like a true soldier, in just two years, Marwa has led the agency to arrest thousands of alleged drug offenders, including notorious barons across the country. Within the same period, a lot of persons were convicted and jailed, while over 12,000 drug users were counselled and treated. For his effort, the country is witnessing a new dawn in drug warfare and his string of successes in the tough battle against drug trafficking has projected the nation in a more positive light. For this, Marwa has received a lot of commendation for his imprint in the new and dynamic NDLEA. Not only that, expectedly, the Adamawa-born drug czar’s leadership quality has not gone unnoticed as awards and honours kept pouring on him in torrents. Within the first two months of the year 2023, Marwa has received a string of awards from notable Nigerian media organizations including the Distinguished Public Service Award and Person of the Year Award.