National News

Back After Kashim Shettima Sent Us ‘Packing’

Published

1 year ago

January 5, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Back After Kashim Shettima Sent Us ‘Packing’

By Stanley Nkwocha

The mood at the Vice President’s wing of the Presidential Villa on Friday December 22, 2023, was different from what it used to be during preparations for festivities in the yuletide. On the faces of the aides and staff working in the VP’s office was a concatenation of excitement and incredulity. Even an amateur telepath would effortlessly sense the relief and exhilaration coursing through them as they discussed among themselves.

What was the excitement all about? The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, had just directed that all his aides and staff who are Christians should proceed on Christmas holidays and resume after the New Year celebrations. It was a big relief for them, especially those who had already been slated for advanced movements ahead of the VP’s official visits to some states.

The thrilling sensation in the VP’s office that weekend was however not unexpected. Such a gesture from a leader pertaining to the welfare of his workers is quite rare in this part of the globe, especially in Nigeria where aides and staff of Aso Rock Villa would have to work round the clock to maintain and sustain presidential schedules.

As an aide or staff in the seat of power, your life is no longer your own. Work-life balance doesn’t exist. You hardly have a weekend planned, entailing that you must have to cope with events of close friends and family members you will have to miss. This is apart from not seeing them more often, as you would not be at liberty to frequently take a vacation.

However, it was a completely different ball game for the 2023 yuletide, as the workers were asked to go home and celebrate the Christmas holiday with their families, courtesy of the VP’s human side of officialdom and bureaucracy. That is Vice President Shettima for you – a boss who takes the welfare of his workers seriously. He cares about life outside of work and is conscious about the things that are important to those working with him, irrespective of class and religious affiliations. He would check in to see how things are going for them.

A true example of what it means to be a servant leader, the Vice President is one of the most humble, compassionate leaders that I have personally met. He is a man who leads by example and is committed to creating a better future for the next generation.

His approach to work and style of leadership which treats the ‘ordinary’ man with the same delight as those of the ruling class are fundamentally both humane and democratic. At work, he gives you ample time to explain your expectations, as he patiently answers your questions, and he is available if you need help. He also encourages all his staff to work together, help one another and be a true team.

Yet, for himself, state governors and other top government officials, Vice President Shettima did not see the need to go on vacation when, according to him, a lot needed to be done to save the nation’s economy. At the 138th meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) which was held on December 21, 2023, he told council members to shelve the idea of vacation and concentrate on issues of governance with a view to easing the burden of the citizens.

“As the year draws to a close, none of us in this chamber should anticipate a vacation. I tend to think so because upon our shoulders rests the weight of responsibilities from which we cannot escape. We are returning to be judged by the promises we made to be here,” he told the NEC members suggestively.

The message here was simple and direct: as public office holders, members of NEC should realise that there is no time for revelries and merriment because ‘to whom much is given, much is expected.’

At the national level alongside his principal, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a seasoned democrat, Kashim Shettima is replicating the same leadership direction required by his Boss as manifested during his visit to Bende in Abia State last Friday where he unveiled the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) initiated by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

The VP declared the readiness of the Tinubu administration to put an end to the reign of terror in the South East region by those he designated as self-serving criminals working in cahoots with certain persons taking advantage of the security situation to foster their dangerous political agenda. He vowed that the administration will deploy all available resources to eliminate the purveyors of falsehoods and propaganda that have become weapons against Nigeria’s unity.

And to confirm the confidence the people of the South East have in the VP and his boss, the duo were given traditional titles. President Tinubu was conferred with Omeziri Igbo 1, while VP Shettima got the traditional title of Enyioma Ndigbo by the Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Linus Mbah.

Tacitly justifying the traditional titles conferred on the VP and his principal, chairman of the South East Governor’s Forum, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, said Senator Shettima has demonstrated sufficient goodwill to the people of the region. “Our Vice President has shown sufficient goodwill to the people of the South East. From this part of the country, we will continue to work with the rest of Nigeria to make the country a prosperous nation for the interest of all of us for service to God and humanity,” the governor stated.

Indeed, in a country where religion, tribalism and regionalism are often used to divide and conquer, Vice President Shettima remains a staunch believer in the unity and progress of Nigeria. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to a united Nigeria where every citizen is treated equally, regardless of their religion, tribe or ethnicity.

As we return to work following his ‘henlele dey go’ directive, one cannot but see the freshness amongst fellow colleagues who clearly are more invigorated and focused to support the Vice President in achieving the monumental set goals, targets and visions of the Tinubu administration.

May God bless us with a most prosperous new year.

Nkwocha is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President).

Back After Kashim Shettima Sent Us ‘Packing’

National News

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

By: Michael Mike

Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying the nation has lost an irreplaceable institution.

The late Dantata, an uncle of Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid, his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), who confirmed the death.

In a condolence message, Vice President Shettima praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.

“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.

“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” VP Shettima added.

The Vice President extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.

Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu built on his father’s commercial legacy to become one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures. His empire spans construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and the oil and gas sectors.

Beyond business, Dantata was renowned for his extensive philanthropic work, funding schools, mosques, health centres, and supporting widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria.

VP Shettima Mourns Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Says Nigeria Has Lost An Irreplaceable Institution

National News

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

By: Michael Mike

The Senior Officials Meeting between Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.

A statement on Saturday by the Press Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Modestus Chukwulaka, read: “The Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS wishes to inform that the Senior Officials Meeting between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) will be held on Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd July 2025 in Abuja.

“The agenda of the very important meeting is to prepare for the upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting and to explore areas of cooperation.”

According to the statement, the Senior Officials Meeting will be co-chaired by the Regions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Ambassador Janet Olisa, Director, and the Deputy Managing Director for Africa Department, European External Action Service, European Union, Mr Mathieu Briens.

The statement revealed that the agenda of the meeting is expected to entail wide-ranging discussions that would focus on various aspects of the Nigeria – EU partnership, such as: Cooperation on multilateral and regional issues; Peace, Security and Governance; Humanitarian situation; Trade and Investment; Human Development: Health, Education, Social Protection; Science, technology, innovation and digital transition; Migration; Energy, climate change and green economy transition among others.

Nigeria and the European Union share a deep, long-standing partnership inspired by mutual values and interests as well as support for multilateralism and rule-based international order, the statement said.

Nigeria-EU Senior Officials Meet in Abuja to Prepare for Upcoming Nigeria – EU Ministerial Meeting

National News

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People

…. Donates relief materials to displaced persons in Yelwata, IDP camp

By: Michael Mike

Former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri has charged former governors, legislators, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Benue state to set aside rivalry, unite and act with urgency to save their people from incessant attacks and killings.

Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police and Principal Partner, Brookfield Chambers Abuja stated this on Saturday 28th June 2025 while donating relief materials to victims of the recent gunmen attacks in Yelwata community and displaced persons at the internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

Some of the items donated under the banner of Women, Youth, Children and Crime Organisation (WYCCO), a non-governmental organization founded by her, include: bags of rice, sugar, tubers of yam and other household items.

She said: “This is no time for division. It is no time for political squabbling or ego-driven manoeuvring. Among us are men and women who have led this state — former governors, legislators, traditional rulers — individuals with influence and authority. The time has come to set aside our differences and stand united, for the sake of the ordinary Benue man, woman, and child.

“That is why I stand here today to make this urgent and heartfelt appeal to our leaders: cast aside rivalry, unite, and act. Act with urgency. Act with purpose. Because what we face now increasingly resembles a deliberate, coordinated effort to erase our people and our heritage.

“We must take heed of the words of Sir Winston Churchill, who once said:
‘Our difficulties and dangers will not be removed by closing our eyes to them.’
Another of Churchill’s warnings is just as relevant to our present predicament:
‘If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without bloodshed… you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival.”

Waziri, while stating that her call was a build up to the earlier proposal by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit Beforehand Benue, noted that meetings alone would not solve the problem, urging that: “But let us be sincere: peace will not come from meetings alone. To end the cycle of violence, we must confront its roots. Before the Yelwata massacre, communities in Gwer West, Apa, and Guma had already endured weeks of killings, kidnappings, and raids. These horrors did not emerge in a vacuum; they are symptoms of deeper issues.

“We must therefore confront the real causes — ethnic and religious tensions, unchecked banditry, and the rise of cultism as well as the abuse of illicit drugs. These forces must be tackled, along with the herder-farmer conflict, with honesty and courage. We cannot afford to keep going in circles. And there is no room for blame games. Our leaders — and indeed, all of us — must be pragmatic. So today, let us commit, as one people, to healing our wounds, reclaiming our land, and ensuring that never again will a child in Benue grow up in a camp instead of a home”

She said the development in Benue must be of “concern to all sons and daughters of Benue regardless of whether we live within its borders or far away in the diaspora to find out the root cause of these attacks with a view to proferring solutions that will bring an end to these barbaric acts”

Farida Waziri Tasks Benue Leaders to Unite, Act and Save Their People