News
For the Records: The Heroes of a Turbulent Time, By Senator Kashim Shettima
Being a speech by His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, the Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, at a Reception in His Honour, at Rockview Hotel (Royale), Abuja, on Sunday, December 4, 2022.
Protocols…
I am humbled by this day. I am humbled because I know that receiving such grand honour is a rare experience in one’s home. You and I are the heartbeats of the same home, and wherever we go, whatever we do, and whenever we act, we carry with us their stories, their beliefs, and their expectations. On our best days away from home, we are celebrated as gifts to humankind. On our worst days, we are harshly remembered as offshoots of our home, as ambassadors of our people. So, you must understand my joy that I’m not standing trial here.
We live in a time where your origin can be the beginning of your nightmare if you find yourself in the wrong place. Sometimes, you are compelled to work harder than others to fit in. Other times, you are not even given the chance at all. You are either written off or treated as a wild stereotype by fellow countrymen. You are expected to function in a system where you must relegate your origin and identity, or apologise for the affiliations you never got to choose. None of us here got to choose where we were born, and to whom. But we all have a choice to create a world where nobody ever experiences discrimination based on the languages they speak, the places they worship, and the colour of their skin.
You and I may not have the magic wand for surviving the bigotry of our kind and the extremism of corrupting dogmas. What we have is a glorious history that reminds us of the beauty of a diverse nation. We know the consequences of treating others as different from us or lesser than us. We know we are a collage of various ethnic, religious, and racial groups bound by a common destiny. We know that Borno remains standing amidst a wave of attacks on our lives and properties because of this refusal to let go of what defines us, that we are bound by the same humanity.
Our brotherhood and sisterhood across generations are an enduring heritage that not even a nuclear weapon can annihilate. We have survived conspiracies designed to turn us against one another. We have witnessed the comings and goings of anarchists who wished to profit from our conflicts. We know why they have failed. They intended to distort and misinterpret our realities to suit their agenda. Our people have not surrendered to any alien idea because the subjects of the dreams we have in Konduga are the same as those had in Argungu, Abuja, Abakaliki, and Aba. All of them dream of a quiet to live gainfully and love indiscriminately.
I am also here today because I fought for a benign world to chase my dream. From the intellectual splendour of Yerwa, I yearned for a time and place where I would partake in helping our people to climb up the social ladder. I dreamt of touching lives beyond the boundaries of my city. I rode on the kindness of familiars and strangers to get here, Christians and Muslims, Hausa and Igbo, and northerners and southerners. My dream took off because I encountered people who knew the danger of treating me as a label, people who didn’t feed on stereotypes to sabotage me.
I would’ve veered off to a place of hate if I had allowed the bigotries I encountered to define me. Even as a two-time Governor and, now, Senator, I’m just as vulnerable to bigotry as every Nigerian. If you intend to see where the truth goes to die in Nigeria, then don’t look too far away from the electronic exchanges on social media. Most of the falsehoods dispensed are, unfortunately, carefully-coordinated attacks by agents of those running for the highest office in the country.
My venturing into politics has taken me to the bank of this river of hatred between and among groups in the country. Sometimes, you come across the energy devoted to promoting their improbable fiction that you begin to wonder if their redemption is possible—if they would ever agree to submit to superior facts. But we have to thank the exceptional citizens and journalists volunteering to fact-check the imaginary stories.
As a Governor, for instance, I engaged with various groups in Borno State to learn from their experiences or as a courtesy required from a leader whenever I came across them. Some of such encounters were with vigilante groups helping us in the war against Boko Haram or with Fulani herdsmen within our jurisdiction. So, whenever photos from such meetings are shared to make certain allusions, I was unsure of whether to laugh or cry for the nation. Their allusions are a product of the usual unchecked ethnic profiling, and that’s a risky political strategy for a country already too divided.
But we can’t afford to give up. We can’t afford to take their bait. The day we embark on responding to profiling any group with similar colour of hate, we are halfway to the end of this union. This is the chaos they seek. But we are far too sophisticated to see any Nigerian as an enemy just because of their ethnicity, religion, or region. We will weaponise neither our ethnic nor regional identity to oppose any individual, whether their agenda is printed on a billboard or intended to be a secret campaign.
The darkest irony in our politics today is the sponsorship of hate campaigns by front-line political candidates against an opposing group in the very country they are asking to govern. I expect you to be the voice of reason in teaching conflict profiteers in our midst about the enduring bond we share. We would’ve been long overrun if we had paid mind to any politician who invests in divisions, the ones who’ve seen and experienced the devastation of violence firsthand.
I am proud to share that we refuse to treat any Nigerian as an outsider because of the village in which he or she was born. We refuse to attack our citizens because of the architecture of their places of worship. We refuse to grade our citizens based on the prominence of their ethnic group. We refuse to make our politics a chamber for waging wars. This is the Nigeria we must work together to build.
Ladies and gentlemen, there’s no testimony greater than the words of objective witnesses to our part in history. We are here today because of you. We are here because you saw through the pedestrian mischief and lies. You know the churches and mosques we have rebuilt to reassure all groups in Borno State that the conflict in our place is from a common enemy. You are the heroes Nigeria seeks, the ones we all deserve to guide us to the path of peaceful coexistence, the path of alliances. Thank you.
…Commend NCDC, 20-Year North Central Development Plan
Youth groups have hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for regional development following the establishment of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) and other regional development commissions.
The groups made the commendation in separate statements on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the NCDC in Abuja.
The President of the Nigerian Youth Congress, Jethro Annum, and the NYCN State Chairman of Niger State, Ambassador Abdullahi Muhammed Ishaq, who spoke on behalf of the NYCN North Central Chairmen, described the NCDC as a catalyst for development.
They said the Commission’s 20-year development plan reflects the need for long-term planning and aligns with the broader development vision of President Tinubu for the country.
Similarly, the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Danesi Momoh, and the North Central Youth Mobilization and Sensitization (NOCYMS), led by Hon. Iorwuese Ayo Fidelis, commended the NCDC for convening a broad stakeholders’ engagement aimed at developing a clear and sustainable development direction for the region over the next 20 years.
The engagement, which brought together key stakeholders and voices from across the North Central region, was described as a significant step towards developing a plan that reflects the aspirations, realities and potential of the people.
The youth leaders described the initiative as timely and forward-looking, stressing that young people and students must remain an integral part of conversations about the future of the region.
They noted that the North Central is home to millions of young Nigerians whose energy, skills, ideas and innovation can contribute significantly to the region’s economic and social transformation when provided with the right opportunities.
“Students and young people are not only beneficiaries of development; we are also partners in building the future we desire. Any 20-year development plan for the North Central must therefore give serious attention to education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, technology and youth participation,” they said.
The youth representatives further assured the NCDC of their readiness to work closely with the Commission and other relevant stakeholders to advance initiatives that will create meaningful opportunities for students and young people across the region.
They expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among the Commission, governments, educational institutions, organised youth bodies, traditional institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders could help translate the region’s enormous potential into measurable and sustainable development.
…Commends Commission, Urges Quarterly Engagements
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone C, has called for sustained inclusion of students and young people in the North Central Development Commission’s (NCDC) 20-year development agenda.
The association made the call while commending the NCDC for convening a broad stakeholders’ engagement to shape a long-term development direction for the region.
The Coordinator of NANS Zone C, Comrade Abiola Azeez Babatunde, said students and young people must not be treated merely as beneficiaries of development, but as active partners in shaping the future of the North Central.
According to him, the region’s large youth population represents a significant pool of energy, skills, ideas and innovation that can contribute to economic and social transformation if properly harnessed.
“Students and young people are not only beneficiaries of development; we are also partners in building the future we desire,” he said.
Babatunde said any 20-year development plan for the region should give serious attention to education, skills development, employment, entrepreneurship, technology and youth participation.
He described the NCDC stakeholders’ engagement as timely and forward-looking, saying it provided an important platform for different interests across the region to contribute to the development conversation.
Also in attendance was Comrade Anzaku Shedrack CNS, Head of Emergency and Disaster Management, NANS, who represented the NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde GCNS.
Shedrack commended the Commission for the initiative and urged it to sustain similar engagements quarterly.
He also assured the NCDC that NANS was pleased with the 20-year development roadmap and would continue to support the Commission in advancing initiatives aimed at developing the region.
NANS Zone C further pledged to work with the Commission and other stakeholders to promote initiatives capable of creating opportunities for students and young Nigerians across the North Central.
The association called for continuous engagement with the student constituency, stressing that their experiences, concerns and ideas should form part of the region’s long-term development agenda.
It expressed optimism that sustained collaboration among the NCDC, governments, educational institutions, organised youth bodies, traditional institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders would help unlock the region’s potential and promote inclusive growth.
Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta.
Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy have called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to stop what it termed public attacks on Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, saying political disagreements should be resolved through democratic dialogue and constitutional means.The group made the call in a statement signed by its Secretary, Ifeoma Chukwunyere on Friday, September 18, 2026, amid what it described as increasingly personal exchanges between Wike and Uzodinma over political developments within the All Progressives Congress.The lawyers said the APC Governors’ Forum had rejected what they described as Wike’s “Rainbow Coalition” political arrangement, arguing that the disagreement should be addressed with the forum rather than through personal attacks on Uzodinma.According to the group, the forum’s position was based on concerns that the political arrangement could weaken the APC or create divided loyalty within the party.“We recognise the constitutional right of every Nigerian, including public officials and political actors, to express political opinions, criticise policies and participate in political activities,” the group said.“However, that freedom must not become a licence for personal attacks, intimidation or unnecessary escalation.”The lawyers said Uzodinma, as the governor of Imo State, should be allowed to discharge his responsibilities without political exchanges creating tension capable of affecting the peace and stability of the state.They urged Wike to desist from further public comments concerning the governor, insisting that political disagreements should focus on policies, programmes, political positions and verifiable facts rather than personal exchanges.The group also warned political actors against turning Imo State into a battleground for political supremacy.“Imo State is not a battlefield for political supremacy. Its people have the constitutional right to choose their leaders and determine their political future without undue interference, intimidation or external pressure,” it said.The lawyers further called on political parties, leaders, supporters and media platforms to avoid inflammatory language that could provoke confrontation.They urged Uzodinma to continue to operate within the Constitution and the laws of the country, while allowing relevant political and legal institutions to handle legitimate disagreements.The group also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to encourage restraint among political actors, particularly in relation to the dispute between Wike and Uzodinma.Addressing Wike directly, the lawyers said: “Mr. Minister, Imo State belongs to its people. You are not from Imo, so stay off Imo.”They stressed that disagreements over political strategies, elections, alliances and political actors in the state should be settled through democratic debate and constitutional processes.The group said it would continue to monitor developments affecting constitutional governance, democratic participation, political freedom and peace in Imo State.“Our position is simple: Democracy must prevail. The Constitution must prevail. The rule of law must prevail,” the statement added.
IGP Disu meets Niger governor over deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners
Tinubu Orders Probe Into Deaths of Suspected Illegal Miners in NSCDC Custody
-
Uncategorized6 years agoFG, states urged to harness flooding for ranching, others with technology – Agbaje
-
Headlines11 years agoBreaking: EFCC seals Borno House of Assembly, as Hon members take to their heels
-
News12 years agoNigeria Security Operatives Stage Manhunt For Homosexual Perpetrator
-
News10 years agoHow 21-year-old Girl fled community over accusation of lesbianism
-
News11 years agoYobe Gov Moves Against Deputy
-
Opinion7 years ago7 signs she has friend zoned you
-
Technology5 years ago
Online job placement company headhunts women
-
Headlines10 years agoBorno Dep Gov Abducts Another Church Leader