In a noteworthy development, Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State has opted to discard the traditional ‘His Excellency’ title in favor of the more emblematic ‘Farmer Governor.’ 

This proclamation was made in the midst of presenting the 2024 budget to the State House of Assembly, where Governor Bago explained that the change in name serves to underscore the government’s steadfast commitment to prioritizing and promoting agriculture within the state.

He said he should no longer be called ‘Excellency’ or ‘Honourable’ or ‘Mr Governor’ but be called “Farmer Governor.”

“I want to inform the people of Niger state that from today, my nomenclature has changed and I wish to be addressed as Farmer Governor Bago from henceforth,” he said. 

Clad in a tee-shirt and trousers, Bago noted that he has not banned the wearing of agbada by civil servants as carried by some media organizations.

According to him, there’s no issue with civil servants working in the ministries of works, agriculture or other ministries that require physical functioning to dress in outfits that would enable them function properly.

The governor also converted the state  Trade Fair Complex into a multipurpose complex for sports and recreation, renaming it as the Bola Tinubu Square (BTS).