Vice President Shettima has asserted that effective leadership demands courage and decisive action, emphasizing that leaders must be willing to make tough choices to drive national development.
Shettima made these remarks on Wednesday while delivering his keynote address at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit in Abuja.
During his address, the Vice President praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame while highlighting the unique complexities involved in governing a nation with a population as vast and diverse as Nigeria’s.
He said, “People celebrate Rwanda. I adore Paul Kagame. People talk about Seychelles. Yes, the economy has turned the corner.”
However, Shettima argued that when drawing comparisons between Nigeria and smaller African nations, the massive scale of Nigeria’s population must be taken into account.
He added, “What is the population of Botswana? Not more than Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos. What is the population of Seychelles? Not more than two wards in Kano metropolis.
“What is the population of Rwanda? The population of Rwanda is about half the population of Lagos State. So numbers count. Take it or leave it, Nigeria is a great nation.”
Speaking further, Vice President Shettima also urged Nigerians to rediscover the country’s agricultural heritage, noting that agriculture was once the backbone of the economy and remains a crucial source of employment and economic opportunity.
We began as an agrarian economy and the foundation of this nation was laid upon it.
“Let us remember that our agricultural heritage has provided hope to the hopeless. It has provided jobs for a mass of humanity,” he said.
He firmly argued that leadership is about taking responsibility and making difficult decisions. In his words, “Leadership means walking the talk. Leadership is about taking tough decisions. And leadership is not meant for nice men. Nice men should be selling chocolates, ice cream”
Backstory…
Vice president Shettima was a former governor of Borno State and ex-Senator representing Borno Central, before emerging as Tinubu’s running mate ahead of the 2023 presidential election after the APC opted for a Muslim-Muslim ticket—a decision that generated intense national debate and drew both support and criticism.
Despite the controversy, the Tinubu-Shettima ticket secured victory at the polls, paving the way for his emergence as Nigeria’s 15th Vice President.
