June 23 (THEWILL) — Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that Nigeria will attain its full potential only when communities across the country are led by individuals who prioritise unity, justice and service above personal ambition, insisting that leaders who heal divisions rather than deepen them are critical to the nation’s future.
Shettima made the remarks on Monday in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during the 70th Birthday and Valedictory Celebration of the 16th Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad I (rtd), whom he described as a symbol of principled leadership, integrity and national cohesion.
The Vice President said the Emir’s distinguished career as a jurist and traditional ruler offers an enduring lesson on the qualities required to build a peaceful and prosperous nation.
According to him, Justice Sidi Bage had already earned national recognition through his contributions to the legal profession and service on the Supreme Court of Nigeria long before ascending the throne of his forefathers.
“Long before the people of Lafia welcomed him to the throne of their ancestors, this remarkable son of the soil had already inscribed his name into the records of our national life. From the lecture halls of Ahmadu Bello University to the corridors of the Nigerian legal profession, he built a reputation upon the bedrock of integrity, scholarship, and an uncompromising fidelity to justice”, Shettima said.
The Vice President noted that the royal father brought the same discipline, fairness and commitment to justice that defined his judicial career into traditional leadership, earning the admiration and respect of his subjects.
“When he ascended the throne of his forefathers, he did not abandon the discipline of the bench. He brought it with him, and the people of Lafia have been the better for it”, he added.
Shettima commended the Emir’s stewardship as Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, saying his leadership has contributed significantly to peace and stability in a state renowned for its ethnic, religious and cultural diversity. He praised the monarch for promoting peaceful coexistence, preserving cultural heritage, supporting religious institutions and strengthening communal harmony.
“He has shown that traditional authority, when exercised with wisdom, remains among the most powerful instruments of national cohesion that we possess”, the Vice President stated.
Reflecting on the nation’s leadership needs, Shettima stressed that Nigeria’s progress depends on leaders who place public interest above personal gain.
“I have come to believe, after years of reflection upon the condition of our country, that Nigeria will rise to the fullness of her promise on the day when every region, every state, and every community is blessed with leadership of this calibre. Where there are leaders who heal rather than divide, who build rather than burn, and who serve rather than seize, the greatness of this nation ceases to be an aspiration and becomes a destiny we author with our own hands”, he said.
The Vice President also highlighted the role of traditional institutions in national development, noting that President Bola Tinubu’s administration recognises the importance of collaboration between traditional rulers and elected officials under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, under whose Renewed Hope Agenda this administration labours, recognises that the partnership between traditional institutions and elected authority is among the surest foundations upon which national renewal can be built”, he noted.
Shettima further commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for fostering an atmosphere of stability, tolerance and development in Nasarawa State.
In his remarks, Governor Sule described the Emir as a humble and contented leader whose reign has brought honour and progress to the Lafia Emirate and Nasarawa State. He prayed for more years of good health and fruitful service for the monarch.
Also speaking, Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, lauded the organisers of the celebration and wished the Emir continued good health, prosperity and wisdom in the service of his people.
The Emir of Lafia explained that a newly constructed hall named after the Vice President was dedicated to him in recognition of the longstanding historical relationship between the Lafia and Borno Emirates. He noted that the Lafia Emirate has deep historical links with the old Borno Empire, making it imperative to sustain the relationship for future generations.
Recalling a childhood memory, the royal father said his late father, a former Emir of Lafia, introduced him to the late Sir Ibrahim Kashim of Borno when he was just eight years old, an encounter he said remained one of the cherished memories of his youth.
Earlier during the visit, Shettima commissioned the five-kilometre Maimatasa-Gemeri-Federal University Road in Lafia. Governor Sule said the project was undertaken to improve security and stimulate economic activities around the Federal University, Lafia.
The Vice President also inaugurated another five-kilometre road named Kashim Shettima Road, which leads to the Emir’s palace. He said the road would enhance accessibility, open up the area for development and support economic growth.
As part of the events marking the visit, a road and a hall were named after the Vice President.
Among dignitaries present at the celebration were Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe; Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Mohammed Auwal Jatau; All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Senator Ahmed Wadada; traditional rulers; senior government officials; and political leaders from across the country.
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