Shettima: The making of a vice president by Zanna Hassan Boguma

BY ZANNA HASSAN BOGUMA, JULY 13, 2022, 2:45 PM

"Politics is almost as exciting as war, quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times".

One; of Borno's greatest politician, my St respected and beloved personality in recent time is undoubtedly Sen. Kashim Shettima Mustafa.

Kashim Shettima Mustafa was the 18th Governor of Borno State and currently a Senator of the Federal Republic.

Kashim's story is a remarkable one. Born into a scholastic and aristocratic background, he got from being a banker to holding the highest office of a Governor. While being a Governor, Kashim Shettima led his people through the Boko Haram Insurgency, the costliest war in the history of Borno, the Northeast and Nigeria; and made major decisions on Borno's progress and development.

Kashim Shettima fought for the enhancement of the life; of the common man and democracy. Those hard and bloody times led to the emergence of Prod. Baba Gana Umara Zulum mni fsneas how s successor to take Borno to the next level and flourish it into an economically viable state and developed it into one of modern states in Nigeria.

Switching the merrier times, Kashim Shettima was also the architect of structural development in the state.

From a great many significant accomplishments, a big heart with a bigger voice, we handpicked him to govern us. Kashim Shettima was an inspirational statesman, writer, orator and a leader who led Borno to a great state. He served as a Commissioner before his elevation as a Governor.

Kashim Shettima undoubtedly remains the most famous Governor our state has ever seen and people all over Nigeria know his name from where he took from the qualities of his namesake, Sir Kashim Ibrahim the then Waziri of Borno and Governor of Northern Nigeria. He was a great public speaker, emulating the likes of Wali Muhammad Ngileruma a one time Waziri of Borno, a Federal Minister and Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, a sagacious political leader who saw Borno through the toughest of times borrowing from the character and traits of the famous Ibrahim Imam.

Kashim Shettima served as Governor from 2011-2019. Be rn 56 years ago, he graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 19&9. Obtained his Msc in the prestigious University of Ibadan in the Southwest, Nigeria. He started as a university lecturer till 1993 before moving to the Banking Industry at the Bank of Africa Ltd as it's Head of Accounts in Ikeja, Lagos.

Kashim Shettima crossed over to African Continental Bank in 1997 as Deputy Manager before moving to Zenith Bank as Head of the main branch in Maiduguri. Rising to Senior Manager, Branch Head, AGM and Zonal Head of Northeast before being a General Manager in 2007.

Following his appointment as Commissioner of Finance in Borno state and later, Commissioner in Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Education, Agriculture and Health all under Senator Ali Modu Sheriff from where he contested and won under the platform of the defunct ANPP and was inaugurated in may 29th, 2011. Kashim Shettima won reelection in 2015 under the APC and was chosen as the Chairman of Northern States Governor's Forum an umbrella body; of Governors in the 19 Northern States. Kashim Shettima was instrumental in driving key changes in the affairs of the Forum with focus on promoting Northern unity and reviving ailing industries in the North.

As Governor, he has effectively managed challenges arising from the Boko Haram Insurgency which he inherited in 2011. With the approval of the National Security Adviser and the Army in 2013, he formalized the establishment of Youth Volunteer Group called Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) who played a significant role in supporting the Military in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram, approving salaries and operational vehicles for the CJTF while giving much support to the Nigerian Army.

Kashim Shettima also led in mobilising a community based intelligence gathering and the provision of one hundred patrol vehicles to the military in particular and to all other security agencies in 2014.

Maiduguri, the seat of government became threatened of occupation by the insurgents. The fear was so intense that notable residents relocated to Abuja and other parts; of Nigeria. However, Kashim Shettima amidst such fear returned to Maiduguri fromhis official engagements and in a show of courage and patriotism mobilized residents to rise up in defense of their communities.

Although Maiduguri never fail, the; insurgents succeeded in occupying twenty out of the twenty-seven LGAs in the state before the military liberated them in 2015/16.

Among his landmark achievements, he coordinated and led in the temporary accomodations, rehabilitation, and resettlement of the victims of the insurgency. With peace building, Kashim Shettima spearheaded the reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement of communities and victims of the insurgency focussing so much on expansion and remodelling of existing schools and the building of new boarding primary schools and junior secondary schools to cater for the over fifty thousand unaccompanied orphans whose parents were killed by the insurgents across the twenty-seven LGAs.

In February 2018, he became a Senator of the Federal Republic representing Borno Central Senatorial District.

With his announcement as the running mate to Bola Ahmed Tinubu on a Muslim Muslim ticket and coming from the Northeast; most especially from Borno and a Kanuri, there is bound to be challenges and political intrigues within the core North politicians especially from the North Central and Northwest zones where for the greater part of democratic politics the positions of Presidents and Vice Presidents emerged.

We are equally not unmindful of the events of 1993 where Babagana Kingibe was tactfully denied the presidential ticket and Abiola was announced as SDP's candidate.

Even with Abiola/Kingibe candidacy, the powers that be then scuttled their victory not because they did not win the election but because of having a Kanuri from the Northeast as a Vice President.

The same power brokers from the zone conspired with their military collaborators in power to cancel the election and in order to appease the Southwest, installed an interim government under Shonekan.

Today, history is being replicated with Asiwaju choosing Kashim Shettima as his running mate. However, from the debates and commentaries generated by the decision, one will conveniently agree that, there will be conspiracies, smear campaigns, intrigues and political gerrymandering but, as politics is a game of witty and ability to persuade, we are optimistic that Kashim Shettima will definitely provide the much needed political wittiness, capacity and reliability of being a loyal and able vice presidency.

May I use this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency Senator Kashim Shettima Mustafa on his nomination as the APC's Vice Presidential candidate.