Discover Kashim Shettima, by Yusuf Ali
Nigerians who are yet to understand the Vice President, His Excellency Hon. Kashim Shettima GCON, will soon discover the stuff he is made of. His true talent, fortitude, ability, courage, or worth, especially in the face of adversity or difficulty.
A highly resourceful and unassuming gentleman, an agriculturist, lecturer, banker and politician, a man of transparent honesty, a dynamic socio-economic tactician, an indefatigable achiever, a lover of truth, a seasoned administrator and diligent worker.
Kashim Shettima is a man who from a humble background rose through a divine pathway to the destined greatness of occupying the exalted office of the Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria. His exemplary life and career has qualified him to be a leader. As governor of Borno State, he waded through the terrible events and has managed as a governor in a way no governor in Nigeria will dare imagine.
Kashim Shettima is a man naturally loved and admired by people; a democrat and pivot of mass mobilisation; a man who achieved greatness through assiduousness, self will and sheer determination, a good listener, a bridge builder, a peace maker and mediator, a man that remains unruffled even at the height of unwarranted intimidation and provocation, a man that stands firm with the people and continued to move on even at the worst security challenges faced so far; a man with critical thinking skills. He is a strong advocate of peace, unity and progress of our dear country. He believes in mega changes in the social, economic, and political sectors and these must be driven by the present generations of Nigerians.
It is with this spirit that Hon. Kashim Shettima boldly declared that this is a time for governance, a time to adequately prepare ourselves for the task of finding genuine and lasting solutions to the enormous challenges confronting our dear country”.
He became the Vice President by dint of hard work, dedication and loyalty. He has vowed to bring out the best in him with his principal President Bola Ahmed Tinubu poised to redefine the meaning and concept of modern governance.
Kashim Shettima sees Nigeria as a prosperous country, an industrious, entrepreneurial, robust in growth, multicultural, multiethnic as well as multi religious country that can overcome all its challenges. He is optimistic that the future of Nigeria will be far more glorious, more peaceful than her past.
While responding to a question on their vision for the country, said Tinubu is determined to provide the leadership required to realize the dream of a prosperous country.
“To paraphrase the late John F. Kennedy, ‘to some generations much is given; to other generations much is expected.’ I believe this generation has a rendezvous with destiny and my principal, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is poised to redefine the meaning and concept of modern governance.
“I want to assure Nigerians that he is going to provide the lead. He is going to provide the leadership and we will rally round him, give him our unequivocally support and loyalty to see to the realization of the Nigerian dream—a Nigeria where every black man in the world should be proud of.”
The Vice President described power as a humbling experience, saying, “It’s all about how we can make life better for the common man. So, I want to assure our countrymen that President Bola Tinubu will by the grace of God catapult this nation to a higher pedestal.
“He is determined; he has the skills set; he has the temperament; the disposition and the purity of mind and commitment to give service to the nation”.
It is not surprising that only a week ago, President Bola Tinubu commended him for his sterling leadership qualities and many more. The commendations are evidence of hard-work, transformational policies and dedication. They are deserved as well.
Seen as youthful, agile, contemporary and versatile, Vice President Kashim Shettima stands out as the significant link between Nigeria’s young population to the President Tinubu administration. And he doesn’t stop at that. He is a mentor to hundreds of young Nigerians.
Kashim Shettima gladly welcomes opportunities to mentor young people to become excellent in their respective fields and contribute their quota to nation-building. He walks the talks and is a bridge-builder, for both the young and old generations.
As Nigeria’s number two citizen, he has taken positions that prove his deft appreciation of leadership: he took the role of explaining the silver lining in the removal of fuel subsidy by the Tinubu presidency. He assured Nigerians of the current administration’s commitment to making Nigeria better.
Vice President Kashim Shettima means leadership to Nigeria today – cutting across professions, ethnic groups and age demographics bringing people closer to government is a foremost of his desire as a progressives political leader.
It is only a matter of time Nigerians will fully discover Kashim Shettima and the stuff he is made of as the Vice President to assist his principal to make Nigeria great.
Yusuf Ali writes from Damaturu, Yobe State.