2023: When Senator Kashim Shettima decides to work with Tinubu

2023: When Senator Kashim Shettima decides to work with Tinubu

By, James Bwala

For a long time, I have heard the saying that whoever governs Lagos State well can successfully govern Nigeria. I had contemplated this saying before I took my steps in Lagos. It was indeed a very complicated city. I hated Lagos with its complications but millions of Nigerians especially those who grew up in Lagos loved this commercial capital hub of Africa. Lagos is an endless opportunity for those who can make use of it.

About 1,600km by road is another complicated city. Maiduguri, the Borno state capital with over 1000 porous borders is also bordering three French speaking African countries. Maiduguri is the hub of Islamic religion, culture and traditions. Unlike Lagos, it was a peaceful and quiet place with much hospitable serenity of embrace and welcome. However, with the breaking of law and order, Maiduguri was not only a complicated but dreaded city compared to none across Nigeria. No thanks to the activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP.

With the horrors, laughter and pains over the years, Nigeria and Nigerians have described their situations as the netherworld. Governments over time have played their parts in making the greatest nation of black race a habitable sanctuary and for centuries the battle continued with efforts from people, who demonstrated and showed brevity in the face of daunting challenges to save the country from collapse.

When former Borno state governor and Senator Representing Borno Central at the National Assembly, Senator Kashim Shettima decided to work with Tinubu, a former Senator and governor of Lagos State to actualize his long ambition of leading a team to salvage Nigeria, the questions that comes to mind is that, would Nigerians take away their eyes on religious matter to allow such a move? Can Shettima and Tinubu if peered tide the loose ends and make Nigeria work again?

Looking at the possibilities and the impossibilities for this to work out, I was so discouraged and felt pathetic with such raging hopelessness. However, there seemed to be a light reflecting on the possibilities that all is well and can still work out whether or not Tinubu and Shettima work in peer or making part of the team for this great experience in our Nations building. One thing is common; they are a team of focus politicians.

When Kashim Shettima paraded a greenhorn from the Classroom as his candidate for the governorship of Borno state, there was laughter in mockery not in praise. But that did not deter him. Soon he walked him to victory and there was a song and praises. This was kind of repeated here on the road to 2023. Many thought Kashim Shettima was taking the wrong turn by aligning himself with Tinubu’s train. However, they forgot history and in this case the former Lagos State governor was not a novice but a political giant tree. So, if it succeeded in Borno why it wouldn’t succeed here. Some people are not laughing to mock him but they called him the Chairman of the old car dealers association. They see Tinubu from his age and not from what he has to offer.

But they forgot history. Most Nigerians perhaps remembered history only when it happened. Tinubu was given a mandate to run Lagos. He did so well even when his administration was in constant struggle with the federal might at that time. The federal monthly allocation to run the state was denied him yet he swam across the muddy waters and ended his eight years with success stories.

But I loved Tinubu’s reply to criticisms. It was what he had expected and has learned to put up with it making him a timber among woods competing for the top job in Nigeria.

Some of his achievements have shaped Lagos to a destiny’s child aspirations. Within the period, he discovered some of the best brains and leaders including the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and appointed them to function where they all wrote their names on gold. Today, they formed part of his glorious leadership. They remain tempestuous in loyalty and steadfastly in followings. By their positions in the political radar through goodwill and refinement, most of them from the floor of well-wishers are proving to be on the same page to make history happen again.

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Tinubu strife with patience and he never looked back, which is why he was different from other contenders. He could have been a spoiler for the emergence of Buhari, who constantly lost out until the merger with Tinubu led ACN. Against a federal might he lead the way putting Buhari at the top for the top job? Today, he is seeking to add value where he believes the call was not only about his ambition but a desire for a better country. Joined by people like senator Kashim Shettima making a team of great Nigerians there is hope that these men can bring the needed change and reverse the ugly trends driving Nigeria’s economy to a place of glory.