Shettima, Abah, others canvass ethical leadership at colloquium

By : Terhemba Daka

Date: 14 January 2026 3:47am WAT

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Kashim-Shettima

Kashim-Shettima

Speakers at Hadiza Bala Usman’s colloquium, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and governance reform expert Dr Joe Abah, have enumerated the essential qualities expected from leaders, stressing that only by imbibing selflessness, uprightness, and eschewing a bitterness and entitlement mentality can public officers demonstrate that they are truly out to serve the people.    The colloquium, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, yesterday, in commemoration of the 50th birthday anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy and Government Performance Evaluation, attracted senior government officials, policy experts, and public servants.    Delivering the keynote address at the occasion, Abah urged political leaders to shed the thin skin of bitterness and entitlement, stressing that whoever enters public office should recognise that governance is more complex than rocket science.     While calling on public servants to prioritise integrity and excellence over quick wins and selfish aggrandisement, the public policy and governance expert declared that good leadership demands restraint and maturity.    He stated that leaders should also possess the courage to navigate power and politics, insisting that the challenge of leadership lies not in technical difficulty, but in navigating people, power, and competing interests.    According to Abah, who has years of experience in public service and advisory roles, governance demands a level of maturity and restraint that is often underestimated by those outside government.     Explaining how governance is harder than rocket science, the expert remarked that unlike technical systems, government operates in a terrain shaped by politics, identity, expectations and institutional pressures.    “In government, no matter your experience, you must navigate all these realities at the same time,” he noted.

He deployed practical illustrations to underscore his point that authority must be exercised with caution, stressing that power should be understood as a responsibility to be deployed sparingly, not as a weapon to intimidate colleagues or subordinates.     Earlier in his goodwill remarks, Vice President Shettima charged public servants to remain selfless, disciplined, and consistent in their service, saying that enduring legacies in governance are built on resilience, strength of character, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.     According to the Vice President, sustainable institutions are not built on spectacle or applause, but through daily discipline and the courage to navigate the complexities of governance.

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