Sen. KASHIM SHETTIMA: Celebrating a power house wisdom, knowledge @ 53

By Tukur Mamu

When I read the excellent presentation of my professional colleague, Mr. Inuwa Bwala about the same subject matter, it appears as if he’s reading my mind, it became obvious to me that we are writing on same subject matter at the same time; about the same personality, *SEN. KASHIM SHETTIMA*.

But since he has the privileged of writing first, Bwala has perhaps captured everything about Kashim Shettima except few that I will dwell in, in this important tribute about this distinguished personality and son of Borno origin.

Now that he is not a governor, it is important to do that for posterity and most importantly for the coming generation of leaders.

I first knew Kashim Shettima over a decade ago, precisely twelve years as at today. He was so much committed to preserving the image of his former boss, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff and the image of the then government as a whole. I’m sure he is doing that independently, as a loyal and committed appointee without even the knowledge of SAS. I got to confirm that during and after several interactions I had with him as a newspaper publisher that attracted a lot of readers from my primary Constituency, the North East, particularly Borno.

Even though Kashim Shettima is a little older than me, our relationship developed into a full friendship, a brotherhood with mutual respect. In the cause of our strong relationship, I convincingly discovered though lately that I will never stop respecting Kashim Shettima for two reasons;

a) As a leader, he has a large heart that accommodates the good, the bad and even the ugly. His ability to respect people’s views including our own in the media even if against his interest and as an excellent manager of human behaviours makes him exceptional and a politician we should watch out for in the coming years;

b) As the religion demands, Kashim Shettima even as a Governor respects everybody that I knew he interacted with. He is not conceited at all. Bashi da girman kai.

As somebody very close to him, I know he has done everything he could to avoid any crisis with SAS. He is a leader that can bring himself so low as long as peace will reign. The loyalty and respect he gave to SAS and even his (SAS) wife as a reciprocal is like that of a son to his parents. I have never seen that kind of loyalty in my life. In fact, I used to tell him “Your Excellency this is too much”. There won’t have been any crisis at all. But SAS took so much for granted. And even as SAS will freely and so brazenly challenge and abused a sitting Governor the manner he wants and even before his aides, Shettima is nevertheless determined to tolerate his excesses. That defines the character and level of patience of Kashim Shettima.

As a journalist that sometimes have no option and even though he is a good and reliable friend, I have offended Kashim Shettima couple of times in the cause of my work. He has never complained to me or directly show his anger not to talk of the usual threat that characterize the conduct executives in his position even though there is pressure for him to do so. For Shettima even when he is angry, he considers it as normal process of life to respect the opinion of others even in cases of glaring disagreement. There is a particular report of DESERT HERALD that was published when I was away to Dubai. And sincerely I did not even know it’s contents until after coming back. Sadly, it angered my friend, Kashim Shettima so much. As usual, I took full responsibility of that report even though I  know that it is capable of damaging my relationship with him. But quite typical of Shettima and even in anger he maintained a dignified maturity till date. That is why he succeeded in maintaining, sustaining and gaining complete loyalty from aides and associates that are largely politically ambitious and even when he took the suicidal but yet selfless decision (the choice of Gov Zulum) that may technically terminate the political ambitions of many. In my heart, I know that Kashim Shettima took that decision for Borno and in the interest of the common man. If he were to follow the desires of his heart, there are much more loyal and closer aides Kashim Shettima should have anointed and will love to succeed him than Zulum. I have not seen anything like that, such a selfless selection of a successor in any of the states of Nigeria since 1999.

And unlike in many states, Kashim Shettima has also practically demonstrated and encouraged Gov Zulum not only to be independent but to govern freely without the hindrances and distractions he was subjected to in his first term. And we have seen that clearly in the governor’s policy decisions and pronouncements since he assumed Office. I’m very optimistic that considering what I knew of Sen. Shettima, the sad rivalry, power play and intra party scheming that happens in virtually all the 36 states between incumbents and their predecessors since the return of democracy will not happen between Shettima and Zulum because the later understands his limits and respects himself. All this demonstrates the quality of a leader.

On a personal level, Kashim Shettima is everything to me. It was on the strength of that relationship that I named my last child after him. And for what he has been all this years, he deserves it. Since before he became Governor and even as a Governor, Sen. Shettima used to called me “Sir” which I find it very difficult to answer him because in all honesty I supposed to address him with “Sir” not him. But to Shettima, it will not reduced anything in him and truly it didn’t. Kashim Shettima did not stop calling me “Sir” until after the birth of my last child who is now 8 years, when he decided to be calling me “Babana”, still out of respect and he goes about it in a dignified manner despite his status and position. A typical Kanuri man is full of himself but Kashim isn’t.

As a Governor, Kashim Shettima has visited my Kaduna home twice. In fact, his second visit was a surprised one as he came with only his Bossom friend, Sen. BabaKaka Bashir Garbai whom I have so much respect for and Empire in a single car. He interacted freely with my family and even make jokes with my domestic workers before leaving. That shows how simple and unassuming Sen. Shettima can be.

He is a leader of immense intellectual process, very intelligent and a powerhouse of knowledge. He is focused and with a hubby to read virtually everything especially books, bestsellers. I have confirmed that during one of my visits to him in Maiduguri when he was the Governor. After having breakfast with him at the Government House, he took me to his private library with his private office inside. As we are discussing private issues, Kashim Shettima probably did not realize that my attention is actually more on the collection of books that were neatly arranged. Apart from other bestsellers, I noticed several books authored by the late Indian lawyer and  activist, Mahatma Gandi. I didn’t want to tell him I need them because I know that people like Shettima valued their books perhaps more than the money. So out of the collections, I was looking at them at regular intervals. I selected and memorize the titles of about five books and jotted them in my brain. Kashim didn’t know. I eventually ordered for them online.

My little story about Kashim Shettima is not meant to say that much about us but to give reasons why I have to join millions of his admirers in celebrating him at 53. I pray to Allah to preserve Sen. Kashim Shettima, to give him good health, to strengthen his Iman and to continue to bless whatever he has including his family. As a leader and like anyone of us, he is human with weaknesses and shortcomings. May he and all of us overcome them. Ameen.