By Funke Cole
“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”
~Eleanor Roosevelt
Anyone with an iota of doubt about the high intelligence quotient of Senator Kassim Shettima should be convinced beyond reasonable doubt by now that the erstwhile banker and administrator is not just intelligent, but also witty, street-smart and indeed wise in the wiles and ways of the world!
Of course, judging by his sterling performance at the NBA conference in Lagos on Monday, the impression one came off with is that here is a man with the gift of the garb, wisdom of the ancient and indeed one who can always be his own man when the occasion demands.
Although yours truly didn’t attend the event, there were feelers out there that the composition of the packed audience were made up of individuals and hirelings of one of the presidential candidates most of who were determined to humiliate the other invited guests because of their preconceived notions and nuanced viewpoints that only their principal deserves the public space. Phew!!!
But Shettima, the Golden Boy from the Kanuri enclave would not be humiliated or boxed into a corner. To the consternation of his traducers and trollers alike, he came fully prepared and didn’t disappoint at all.
Like the tough fighter, he took as much punch, and also threw lots of punches too so much so that he was easily the winner of the contest, if the thunderous applause that greeted his extemporaneous speech delivered in the right pitch and tone is anything to go by.
In fact, one observer said the way Shettima was crunching numbers and stats with clinical precision, you could tell this was a real genius unlike the other fella, who for the want of a better expression was committing gaffes upon gaffes all through the period his buccal cavity was at work!
But come to think of it, should anyone have expected anything less from a man who have since proven his worth and mettle as a banker of note at Zenith Bank, unarguably one of Nigeria’s topflight banks till date?
Besides, his political trajectory thus far also says a lot about someone who is a man of great ideas. Take Borno State for instance, which has suffered terribly from the beastiality imposed by the hate-mongering Boko Haram elements who literally turned the place to a theatre of war leaving in their wake sorrows, tears and blood, life is gradually back on an even keel thanks to the foresight and good leadership template prepared by Shettima.
Under his watch, the war-ravaged Borno has witnessed some real progress in the form of Infrastructural and socioeconomic growth and development, thus making other states of the federation grin with envy.
In all these, methinks Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be given credit for the choice of Shettima. There is no doubt at all that Shettima is going to complement Tinubu because he is a man of ideas just like his principal.
For doubting Thomas’s still unsure about where to cast their votes in the 2023 elections, search no further please! Team Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kassim Shettima is where to pitch your tent because these guys have what it takes to turn the country’s current economic tide for the better. They have done it before and can reenact the same feat this time at a much larger scale!
Indeed, as Shettima said in staccato English while speaking, “Abeg follow who know road make you no miss road!”
This is also my one kobo advice to a lot of prospective voters out there: vote right, vote wisely, vote #BATSHE!
A word is enough for the wise!
©Funke Cole