Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, emphasized the country’s focus on digital technology, clean energy, and diversifying the economy during a meeting with Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation, Dan Jorgensen.

The meeting took place recently, with various dignitaries in attendance.

Shettima highlighted the need for alternative investments due to the declining role of oil in the economy.

He sought support from Denmark and the Global Centre on Adaptation for Africa in accelerating climate action and sustainable energy solutions.

Shettima also commended Denmark’s climate leadership. Jorgensen praised Nigeria’s commitment to climate sustainability and expressed optimism about collaboration on a just energy transition.

The meeting addressed Nigeria’s role in advocating for democratic governance in the face of political instability in West Africa.

The Nigerian Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, stressed the importance of intercultural collaborations to address climate change.

The discussions included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Denmark and Nigeria to facilitate future collaboration on energy transition.

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TECHDIGEST –  Claim: Some users on a Facebook open group, Tinubu Media Team, published a claim that National Church Leaders paid a solidarity visit to congratulate Senator Kashim Shettima on his emergence as the APC Vice Presidential candidate.

Full Text:

The post which has generated many reactions, comments and shares reads: “BREAKING…. National Church Leaders on Solidarity visit to congratulate Distinguish Senator Kashim Shettima on his emergence as the APC Vice Presidential candidate.

“Congratulations in advance to Asiwaju Dr Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Distinguish Senator Kashim Shettima on their victory in 2023. #iambatified #BAT2023”

Contentions over the emergence of Mr Kashim Shettima, a Muslim from North East Nigeria as Vice Presidential running mate to Mr Bola Ahmed Tunubu, another Muslim from Nigeria’s South West have continued to rock the polity

Verification:

A Google reverse image search of the accompanying photo conducted by PRNigeria revealed that the image first emerged online in November 2017 when the then President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama led Bishops to pay a courtesy call on the then Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference was on an empathy visit to Borno to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Maiduguri Catholic Diocese (1966 to 2016). During the visit Kaigama eulogised Mr Shettima and admitted to being attracted to his qualities because he has proved not to be “‎narrow minded and myopic but rather one who is broad and fair to adherents of all religious groups as being testified by Christian leaders from all denominations living in Borno.

” That visit in 2017 was reported major news platforms like here, here, here, here, and here, among other media.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja on Thursday described as falsehood and “fake news”, reports that its Archbishop, Ignatius Kaigama, endorsed a former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, as the vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 election.

The Director of Communications in Archdiocese, Fr. Patrick Alumuku, made the clarification in a statement titled, “Archbishop Kaigama Endorses Shettima: A Disclaimer.”

Verdict/Conclusion:  PRNigeria categorically states that the claim that National Church Leaders paid a Solidarity visit to congratulate Senator Kashim Shettima on his emergence as the APC Vice Presidential candidate which signalled an endorsement of his candidature is FALSE.

Source: PR Nigeria 

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TECHDIGEST – A former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima, on Saturday, said Nigeria lacked selfless and charitable leaders dedicated to meeting the needs of the less provoked in society.

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

He commended the Rotary International for their selfless service to humanity, saying they have become the conscience of the society.

Shettima 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.

These clubs have ridden on the compassion and integrity of good people like you to serve as oases for the downtrodden.

“You have taught us much more than what it means to have empathy and, more importantly, act on it.

“Rotary clubs have become the conscience of the world, for they remind us of the debt we owe our society.

“We must never yield to the temptation to believe that giving back to the society that produced us is a favour to the needy.

“While this is the mainstream thinking, we can’t afford to understate the circumstances that gave us our good start in life and that doing so would come at great risk.

“Every society, just like nature itself, abhors a vacuum and so the alternative to giving to those at the lowest rungs of our economic ladder is a calamity for which none of us is prepared.

“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.

Shettima said he is not surprised that Rotn. Yusuf Alli was chosen as the as the 11th President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama.

“He deserves to be so named,” he said, adding: “Yusuf Alli’s life, is a remarkable study in dedicated labour; professionalism; and a deep sense of duty.

“These were the essential building blocks of the life he has lived, over several decades, as a journalist.

“Today, he has become recognised, as a leading authority in investigative journalism, in our country.

“His colleagues, from near and far, recognise the incredible hard work, that he puts into every story, that he pursues, and the excellent quality of his outputs, in the professional field.

“If all that Rotarian Yusuf Alli has done in life, is the exemplary service that he has given to journalism in our country, we would be forgiven to conclude, that he has done enough, for a lifetime.

“But here we are today, to witness his investiture, as the 11th President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama.

“I think the lesson to draw from that, is that Yusuf Alli is very dedicated to community good; but not only in journalism.

“By reaching the height he has attained today, as the 11th President of a body like the Rotary Club, we can similarly underscore the fact, that his dedication to community good, reaches beyond his calling, as a journalist.”

In his remarks, Rotn. Alli said even though he accidentally joined Rotary, his reason for joining the Club was not to lead but to serve.

“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 immediate past President of the Club, Rotn. Victoria Unoarumi, said listed some of her achievements to include increased membership, surpassed goal set for the Rotary Foundation with contribution of $43,718.00, execution of 21 projects in the Rotary’s seven area of focus, completed a star project of a block of five classrooms.

She called on members of the Club to give the “Imagine Rotary President, Rotarian Yusuf Alli and the new board of directors the support they gave her during her tenure.

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 Professor Mohammed Haruna, Dr. Wale Babalakin, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, Aliyu Abdulhameed, Igho Sanomi, Soliu Mustapha, Ahmad Salihijo, Registrar of the Joint Admission ans Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Chief Fabian Nwora, Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, and Director of Mukhtar Galadima.

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TECHDIGEST – The Image Merchants Promotion (IMPR) Limited, publishers of PRNigeria in collaboration with The Media Today (TMT) on Wednesday, unveiled a book on the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Gen. Lucky Irabor.

The 119-paged book, whose blurb was written by Senator Kashin Shettima, a former Borno State Governor, is titled “Gen LEO Irabor: The Pearl of Defence.”

The book, published to commemorate the first-year anniversary of Irabor as Nigeria’s Defence Chief, was authored by Mahmud Abdulsalam, an Assistant Editor with PRNigeria.

“Gen LEO Irabor: The Pearl of Defence,” contains 33 articles under six (6) chapters, namely: Operations, Stakeholders, Infrastructure, Synergy, Human Capital and Communication.

The book is an effort to chronicle the policy initiatives and key strategic activities that Gen. Leo Irabor has launched, or carried out since he assumed office as the Chief of Defence Staff.

The publication was officially unveiled by Gen. Irabor and assisted by top military officers and editors at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in Abuja.

It was during the ‘Chief of Defence Staff Parley with Editors and Media Executives,’ where the publisher of PRNigeria, Mr. Yushau Shuaib as a Guest Speaker spoke on “Fake News, Fack-Check and National Security.”

The parley themed, “The Role of Editors in National Security and Conflict Sensitive Communication,” was well-attended by publishers, editors and bureau chiefs of various media organisations, in the country.

Some illustrious media personalities and veterans were also honoured with special awards, at the event organized by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), in collaboration with The Media Today (TMT) International.

Explaining the idea behind the book, Barrister Sunny Charles Odenigbo, the Chief Executive Officer of TMT, disclosed that the CDS was ‘deliberately’ not informed about the publication because it was planned to be a ‘surprise gift’ for him, as he marks a year in office.

He said “Gen LEO Irabor: The Pearl of Defence,” so far remains the first and only bold attempt to dispassionately chronicle, in an in-depth, appealing and elaborate manner, the military strategies and policy reforms formulated by the CDS to add value to Nigeria’s security and defence architecture.

Added Odenigbo: “The highpoint of Gen. Irabor’s leadership, as encapsulated in this intellectually-enriching and mind-engaging book, is building synergy, partnerships and collaborations with relevant stakeholders in the country, and even foreign militaries like the California National Guards, among others.

“The author has done the Nigerian military hierarchy a great favour, by taking up the job of being its publicist: one that has breathtakingly showcased the outstanding efforts and contributions of not only their leader (in this case, Gen. Irabor), but the entire members of the Armed Forces in tackling the security woes bedevilling the nation.”

In the blurb to the book, Senator Kashim Shettima states that “A thorough bred professional, Gen Irabor is a personification of positive traits in the Nigerian military, Verily, he is an intellectual of uncommon courage and sagacity”

Earlier in his keynote address, Gen. Irabor, underscored the need for the media, particularly publishers and editors, to forge and strengthen partnerships with the military, as part of measures to safeguard national security and assist the Nigerian Armed Forces to tackle lingering security threats.

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TECHDIGEST – During a visit to Lagos on an advocacy campaign on the need for the diversification of the Nigerian economy in 2004, the Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Engineer Hamman Tukur told the then Governor Bola Tinubu that any local government created outside the constitution was deemed illegal, according to the provisions of the legislative grundnorm, and hence would not receive allocations from the Federation Account.

Tinubu responded that he would rather intensify the revenue generation and collection drive in Lagos State to sustain the third tier of government, and without the Federation Account, than retract the over 30 newer local governments he had created.

The Department of Allocation at RMAFC, where the present governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, was then a staff, recommended the withholding of federal allocations to any state that created local governments outside the ambit of the 774 constitutionally created and recognised local council areas.

Other states that had created additional local governments at that time, reverted to the formally recognised ones, as President Olusegun Obasanjo, working on the advice from the Commission, suspended federal allocations to the local government areas in Lagos State.

Being the Head of Press and Public Relations at RMAFC between 1999 and 2004 when this went on, my team monitored the ensuing media war over the withholding of local government funds to Lagos State by the Federal Government. Almost all organs of the state government, especially the Executive Council and its members, including commissioners and advisers, alongside public commentators from the Lagos axis, whom we tagged as Tinubus boys, deployed different media strategies to win public support for the position of Lagos State on its right to create newer local councils. And the purported heavy hand of the Federal Government in its dealing with the State.

In fact, apart from my office, the Public Affairs Adviser to President Obasanjo, Barrister Femi Fani-Kayode was the most vocal voice against Tinubu and his loyalists on that public discourse. Even lawyers recruited by Governor Tinubu, through his Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (the current Vice President), had to write a very lengthy rejoinder against Femi Fani-Kayodes position. I recall that the lawyers who had signed the rejoinder then were Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) including Wole Olanipekun, Rickey Tafa, Taiwo Osipitan, and Kola Awodein.

Surprisingly, and to the amazement of many, despite the suspension of funds to the State, in a manner that could forestall development and breed economic and geopolitical crises, the government in Lagos started to generate more revenue than what the Federal Government could have released to it from the Federation Account till date.

Some years later, precisely in 2012, while in a discussion about the stubbornness of some politicians, Mallam Yusuf Alli of The Nation newspapers had made a call and handed the phone to me, saying, Speak to the Jagaban!

Although initially shocked, I was subsequently impressed by the humane and compassionate disposition of Tinubu when he explained to me that our positions are not borne out of stubbornness but to provide leadership by example through courage, fearlessness, equity and justice to serve and empower our people.

He even cracked some jokes and explained in detail what leadership entails.

When Tinubu recently declared his intention to contest for the Presidency, I recalled those closer encounters in assessing his personality. Surprisingly, I have been shocked to the marrow on realising that most of the virulent attackers, since the declaration of his presidential ambition, have not only been from his geopolitical zone, the South-West, but some are also from the camp of his past loyalists Tinubu boys who were his erstwhile defenders, such as during the period of the withheld council funds. And others who had benefitted from his goodwill to gain nominations and appointments into public offices at the state and federal levels.

It is quite worrisome to observe that when Tinubu was aggressively promoting and supporting the aspirations of many to top public offices, they hailed him to the high heavens; but now that he is seeking a high public office himself, they have turned on him with passionate hatred. They, who once extolled him as the Jagaban, the Leader and the Last man standing when he helped give wings to their ambitions, now describe him as old, sickly and corrupt because of his political ambition.

Meanwhile, the most vocal and leading voices lending support to Tinubu’s aspiration at this seeming last moment of his political career, are mostly APC northern leaders led by former governor of Borno State and now federal senator, Kashim Shettima.

These Northern campaigners have pointed out the political debt owed Tinubu and pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to reward him for what he did for the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 and 2019 elections, by giving him the right of first refusal to the presidential ticket. They see this as a decent payback.

On the claim that Tinubu is physically unsuitable for the Office of the President due to his age, Senator Shettima has pointed out that the presidency is not a job for bricklayers. According to him, the mark of true leadership isnt the ability to lift a bag of cement, but having the requisite experience in governance, being able to design innovative public policy, and putting the right team that will implement this together.

The Northern campaigners have reminded Buhari that, In 2015, some aspirants with very huge war chests were itching to clinch the ticket of the APC, but like the Rock of Gibraltar, Asiwaju and his progressive team stood solidly behind the candidacy of President Buhari.

While I am also deeply concerned about Tinubus health, considering what befell President Umar Musa YarAdua in office and the fact that Buhari too was almost done in by age and ill-health, earlier in his administration, yet I regard the more recent life given to allegations of Tinubus past misdemeanour in his climb to wealth and reckoning as a common feature characteristic of most successful politicians in Nigeria.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to point out a successful politician in public office in Nigeria who has never been accused whether true or false of age falsification, certificate forgery or corrupt practices, among other unbecoming acts.

As we keep making efforts at perfecting our system to check and push back the ills in our political processes, we should continually seek to enhance and manage our democracy in its content and form, including the highly critical area of leadership recruitment.

Meanwhile, if I could advise Tinubu, the kingmaker, on his dream of becoming a king himself, I would rather say: You have right to your aspiration, but if under extreme pressure to step down, you might as well consider Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, your topmost ally from the South-West, for support to become the most powerful Nigerian. Or, Senator Orji Kalu, a former governor from the South-East. Or, the minister of Transportation and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, from the South-South. Or even the youngest presidential aspirant of the moment, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State from the North-Central, a region that is yet to produce an elected president or vice to date.

Yushau A. Shuaib, author of “An Encounter with the Spymaster” and “Crisis Communication Strategies” blogs at www.YAShuaib.com yashuaib@yahoo.com

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