Nigeria Lacks Selfless, Charitable Leaders — Senator Shettima

Former Governor of Borno State, Senate Kashim Shettima on Saturday said Nigeria lacked selfless and charitable leaders.

Shettima made this assertion dueing his speech as the Chairman of the investiture of the 11th President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, and Managing Editor, Northern Operation of the Nation Newspaper, Rotarian Yusuf Alli.

He said giving to the needy was not just about compensating for the negative externalities accumulated in the pursuits of capitalisim and self-serving interests, but to fill vacuum around us.

Shettima also said leaders should not just give to the society to appeal to themselves because the people are not beggars but to know that the society is the source of the material possessions they have acquired.

He said, “There’s a reason both religious groups and corporate organizations revolve around the principle of giving back to the society. It’s not just to compensate for the negative externalities accumulated in the pursuits of our capitalist and self-serving interests, but to fill the vacuum around us.

“When you look around this country to trace the origin of our national dilemma, the most glaring shortcoming is always undersupply of selfless and charitable leaders, whether in politics or business, socio-cultural groups, or local communities.

“As a time-tested group, Rotarians have figured out the danger of playing down the conditions of the needy, especially those in our immediate surroundings. Your Club, which operates from the nation’s capital and a district recognized as a habitat of some of the nation’s most affluential people, is privileged to grasp the socio-economic contrasts that have widened the nation’s poverty gap in the past years.

“We must never give back to the society just to appeal to ourselves, for that seems to be the mindset.

“The society isn’t the beggar here. This society is the source of the material possessions over which we scrutinize our balance sheets to determine the size of charities to dispense or authorize.

“We are merely giving back to our giver, and that’s because none of us is prepared for the worst implication of glossing over these vacuums in which the majority of us are trapped.”

“I have never aspired to lead. All I wanted was to serve in my little way. I come from a family with a deep passion for service and giving.

“I also married from a family which loves to share and give. So, I saw myself only living up to type in Rotary, it does not look extraordinary.

“I need to explain this to clear doubts about my resilience for service in Rotary. As long as I serve humanity, I do not expect anything in return.”

The outgoing President of the club, Rnt. Victoria Unoarumi, said during her reign membership of the Maitama club increased from 68 when she took over on Ist July, 2021 to 103.

She added, “This remarkable achievement moved our club to a Mega Status. As at today, Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama has joined the league of Mega Clubs in the District. We also had a remarkable achievement in the Rotary Foundation as we surpassed the goal we set on the Rotary International Portal.”

High point of the event was the presentation of awards to 11 distinguished Nigerians for their selfless contributions to the development of the country and humanity.

They include the Director General, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Professor Mohammed Haruna, Chairman of the Bi-Courtney Group of Companies, Dr Wale Babalakin, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed representing Adamawa Central Senatorial District.

Also included are the Managing Director/CEO of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc), Aliyu Abdulhameed, Registrar of the Joint Admission ans Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

Others are, Ahmad Salihijo Managing Director/CEO of Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Igho Sanomi, Soliu Mustapha, Chief Fabian Nwora CEO/ Chairman, EFAB Properties Ltd, Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi Director General/Chief Executive Officer (DG/CEO) of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Mukhtar Galadima, Director, Department of Development Control Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and Satellite Towns Development Agency, Federal Capital Territory Administration ( FCTA).