Vice President Kashim Shettima has said effective leadership demands courage, decisiveness and a willingness to make difficult choices, stressing that leaders cannot afford to prioritise popularity over national interest.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the Niger Delta Agricultural Development and Investment Summit in Abuja.
Speaking on governance across Africa, the Vice President praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame for his leadership but cautioned against making direct comparisons between Nigeria and smaller African nations without considering differences in population and scale.
“People celebrate Rwanda. I adore Paul Kagame. People talk about Seychelles. Yes, the economy has turned the corner,” he said.
He argued that governing Nigeria presents unique challenges because of its size and diversity.
“What is the population of Botswana? Not more than Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos. What is the population of Seychelles? Not more than two wards in Kano metropolis.
“What is the population of Rwanda? The population of Rwanda is about half the population of Lagos State. So numbers count. Take it or leave it, Nigeria is a great nation,” Shettima said.
The Vice President also called on Nigerians to embrace agriculture as a key driver of economic growth, noting that the sector had historically been the foundation of the country’s economy.
“We began as an agrarian economy, and the foundation of this nation was laid upon it.
“Let us remember that our agricultural heritage has provided hope to the hopeless. It has provided jobs for a mass of humanity,” he said.
Shettima further commended Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno for what he described as a decisive response to a proposed investment in Nigeria’s oil palm industry.
According to him, representatives of one of Malaysia’s leading oil palm companies recently visited his office with their Nigerian partners to discuss plans to invest $500 million in the country’s oil palm sector.
“They came to my office with their Nigerian counterpart. I called the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno. He picked the phone, and these are people who are willing to invest $500 million in oil palm.
“They will start with 10,000 hectares in Akwa Ibom. He said, ‘Let them come and start work at once.’ This is leadership,” he said.
Shettima maintained that leadership requires taking responsibility and making difficult decisions, even when they may not be popular.
“Leadership means walking the talk. Leadership is about taking tough decisions.
“And leadership is not meant for nice men. Nice men should be selling chocolates, ice cream,” he said.
