59 garlands for Shettima and His pure heart, by Yemi Adebowale

Call him a titan and you will be right. That’s Vice President Kashim Shettima who clocked 59 last week. Governor of Borno State at 43 and Vice President of Nigeria at 56. This “young man” with the heart of a lion has spent almost his entire life fighting for good life, not just for those around him, but for everybody within any space he governs. Anywhere he finds himself, Kashim serves with passion, humility and loyalty. This is exactly what he has been doing for over two years working as Vice President to President Bola Tinubu.

Kashim, as usual, has been operating with a pure heart in the Presidency. He has been relating with everybody with a pure heart. I need to expatiate on this. A pure heart is best defined as a state of being where one’s inner self is, free from negativity, deception, and ill will, allowing for genuine and positive interactions with the world. Kashim’s pure heart lacks ill will, negativity, or a desire to harm others. His pure heart is marked by authenticity in thoughts and actions, without hidden agendas or ulterior motives. His pure heart is a state of sincerity, honesty, and freedom from malice or evil intent.

Shettima’s pure heart is a disposition characterized by kindness, genuine intentions, and a lack of guile. Many will never forget how the man with the pure heart went with his pure heart to the recent presentation of a book, “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3bn Nigerian Oil Block.” authored by Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation. Shettima, with a pure heart, narrated his same old 2014 Borno State emergency declaration escape story. The hawks all around the ruling party, APC, lashed on his presentation at the event to push out false narratives, using misinformation and mischief. It was a low by the hawks.

At the book presentation, Shettima said a state of emergency was to be imposed on Borno State in 2014 because of the Chibok kidnappings, and he was to be suspended as governor but Adoke, advised the then President Jonathan against it. He narrated this as a compliment to Adoke while delivering his goodwill message. The hawks quickly went to town, falsely quoting Shettima as saying that Tinubu did not have the powers to suspend Siminalayi Fubara as governor of Rivers State after declaring a state of emergency in the state. Creepy!

The hawks forgot that Shettima narrated the same story in 2017, while speaking at the presentation of Bolaji Abdullahi’s book on the 2015 general election, titled, “On a Platter of Gold.” Abdullahi served as minister in Jonathan’s government. This was reported in 2017 without any issue. But now that Shettima is Vice President, and saying the same thing in 2025, the hawks went to town with it as “an attack on President Tinubu.” This same old story that was treated as a praise to Adoke in 2017, was now disseminated as an attack on Tinubu, just to destroy the Tunubu-Shettima relationship. It was preposterous.

Unfortunately, the hawks around President Tinubu are still exploiting Shettima’s pure heart. The hawks in the ruling APC have also been feeding fat on Shettima’s pure heart. These hawks, who are largely working for those eyeing Shettima’s office in 2027, have for almost two years, been trying to create a division between Shettima and Tinubu. They have been working to destroy the Tinubu-Shettima political relationship, using huge misinformation and disinformation. Many of them even believe that Tinubu has fallen for their treacheries. The desperation in Nigerian politics is no doubt excessive.

It was heartwarming when President Tinubu used the occasion of Shettima’s 59th birthday last week to assert his confidence in Shettima. The hawks were hugely disappointed. The President declared: “Since we embarked on this journey, united by the shared vision of building a more prosperous nation, your courage, sense of duty, tenacity, determination, and belief in Nigeria’s greatness have remained unshaken. I deeply appreciate your vibrancy, loyalty, partnership, and support as my deputy. In choosing you then as a partner, I selected competence and other qualities that Nigeria could depend on.

“Every day, as Vice President, you have justified that choice by strengthening our work, bringing fresh perspectives, and upholding our commitment to Nigerians. Your dedication reassures me that I did not make a mistake in choosing you as my deputy. Our relationship transcends official duties. It is a bridge across regions and traditions, united in purpose and service.”

Shettima was apt in his response to the President’s birthday message. He said: “The bond we share, anchored on loyalty and service, is one I will never take for granted. I have watched you shoulder the burden of difficult choices at critical moments, steering our nation through turbulent waters into a harbour of stability that promises abundance.”

The hawks are now sorrowful. They have been disappointed by Tinubu. I am confident that Tinubu and Shettima will continue as a united team, far beyond 2027. Their rapport, borne of reciprocated respect, will be difficult for the hawks to destroy. The tone of Tinubu’s birthday message shows that his confidence in Shettima is absolute. Shettima’s loyalty to Tinubu is also clearly not in doubt. He consistently demonstrates this.

My dear Shettima, congratulations. Wishing you many more years in good health. May Allah SWT continue to bless you with Rahma, Baraka and Sekinah. Allahumma Robbanna Wataquoba Dua.