Members of the political class play a central role in our lives. They attain positions that allow them to shape and make crucial decisions about our national life, and are supposed to represent the hopes and interests of every one of us at both the national and local levels. This then calls for a careful attention to examining closely whether someone serving in, or running for any political office has the personal attributes it takes to be an effective representative.


The qualities and skills that set good politicians apart ought to draw more attention, in our society today, but fringe and primordial personal considerations take center stage instead.


Though society may be right in believing that politics is a dirty business, a careful examination can at the same time prove that some politicians are in the countrary, effective, trustworthy and do understand that to work for the people over the course of years, they must level with the people.


While most Nigerian politicians are adept at identifying and seizing on issues that will work to their own or their constituents’ benefit, a few others possess the additional skill of knowing how to use the system to achieve results. By every standard of assessment, Kashim Shettima, the outgoing governor of Borno state fits in this category.
Here is a man, a banker, an intellectual and core financial expert whose single drive in politics is to have a hand in contributing to the success of the society and in finding ways of making life better for the people he seeks to represent.


While Kashim Shettima governed the ordinarily ungovernable Borno state for the past eight years, he deployed a rare attribute of understanding where to get help for distressed constituents, and creatively uses politics and his colleagues’ interests to advance the goals of a state in turmoil.


He tactfully manoeuvered through the turmoils by employing an indepth understanding of the limits of influence in terms of both what, as a politician he can realistically accomplish, and the fact that he might react to events but rarely can control them.


Down-to-earth, Kashim Shettima genuinely likes all kinds of people and is comfortable talking to anyone in all kinds of environments. Unlike most other political players in his ranking, he makes himself accessible to the big and the humble alike, is sensitive to the mood of the people, knows how to read people’s problems, and is quick to respond.


By shunning the politics of rigid extremism, even as he combined the primary demands of his position as governor with those of the chairmanship of Northern Governors' Forum, Shettima remained generally flexible to other points of view, believing that while he may differ with someone on one issue, he will likely be working with that same person on another issue in the future.


Most importantly too, Shettima possesses a deep understanding that politics involves give and take, and the ability to find common ground in contrast to others who are tempted to think of holding a political seat as an entitlement, as something to be held by right.


An eminently tactful conflict manager, he listens very carefully to those on the other side, not only to learn their arguments, but especially to learn how far he can move them and how far he has to be moved in order to reach consensus.


“if you approach a problem by saying that all the good is on your side and all the bad lies with the the other side, then you will never accomplish anything,” are the words Kashim Shettima is known to utter to even his most ardent opponents.


This accounts for why even in the face of persistent antagonism by his predecessor Ali Modu Sheriff and his handful of cohorts operating from outside Borno, Shettima insists on trying to forge agreements on fundamental party goals without jeopardizing the larger interest of the people he leads.


Yet while Shettima is willing on one hand to take defeat in stride knowing that setbacks and criticisms go with politics, on the other hand he never forgets where he is from and fights hard not to succumb to undue intimidation that could lead to betrayal of people’s trust.
He defies persecution by making it a point of duty to identify with the masses of the people, to remain loyal to his constituents, and to have an abiding faith in playing the game with decency, intelligence and patriotism.


“Without this much conviction, it is almost impossible to be a true politician and leader, able to express the hopes, dreams, and interests of the ordinary man,” Shettima insists as he offers himself for a national assignment as Senator of the federal republic.

Suleiman, a journalist, writes from Abuja

https://gobroadsheet.com/index.php/2018/09/14/kashim-shettima-one-politician-i-can-vouch-for-abdul-azeez/

Haruna Deborah has emerged the 2018 batch ‘B’ (Stream II) Miss Big, Beautiful and Bold (BBB) after keenly contested beauty pageant held at Black Gold permanent orientation camp, Kaduna


Deborah hails from Kogi State and she was a member of Platoon 7. The 2nd position (1st runner up) went to O’Neal Emilia E. from Cross River State, Platoon 10 while the 3rd position (2nd runner up) went to Pami Zhin from FCT, Abuja, member of Platoon 1.Read more at https://gobroadsheet.com/index.php/2018/09/13/nysc-kogi-born-haruna-deborah-emerges-miss-bbb-kaduna-orientation-camp/

The famous Northern Youth Coalition leader and Chief Promoter of quit notice, Yerima Shettima has declared his intention to contest for House if Representatives from Kaduna North district.

Shettima will be running for the position under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Shettima while picking his nomination form at the PDP secretariat in Kaduna on Wednesday said, his decision to contest was informed by the way and manner ‘those who did not struggle for democracy have bastardized the system.’

“Those of us who struggle for this democracy to the point of been incarcerated can no longer watch for democratic value to collapse totally.

“We realize it is totally impossible for the people’s desired change to come without us getting involved. It was on that ground some of us feel its time for us to submit ourselves to service to humanity and our people.

“We will ensure that Nigeria moves to the next level, and ensure that people understand what legislative job is all about.

“From all indication it appears that the APC led government have nothing to offer the country. So people of like minds and patriotic Nigerians must begin to come on board to ensure that democracy is been sustained.

“We took our time to study coming of this government APC from 2015 to 2017. I took my time as the leader of my organization (Arewa Youth Consultative Forum) for two years to be sure of our taught. We envisage the combination of character that form the party APC, and realize that this government have nothing to offer.

“On that basis we begin to critically analyze and objectively criticize some of their policies,” he said.

https://gobroadsheet.com/index.php/2018/09/12/quit-notice-chief-promoter-shettima-picks-house-of-reps-form/