Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged public servants to remain selfless, disciplined and consistent in service, saying enduring legacies in governance are built on resilience, strength of character and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Shettima gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja at a colloquium organised to commemorate the 50th birthday of Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit.
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.
“If we are to raise generations ready to lead with purpose, to deliver with excellence and to serve with courage, we must remember this truth: intention without the willingness to pay the price of service remains wishful thinking,” Shettima said.
Eulogising the celebrant, he described Usman as a mirror not only for the northern Nigerian girl but for the nation at large, noting that her public service career was forged quietly through responsibility, diligence and institutional strengthening.
“Her place in our public service history is secure. What she has become is the product of decisions taken quietly, responsibilities carried fully and institutions strengthened with care,” he stated.
Shettima added that Usman earned her influence through “a rare combination of gifts, grace strengthened by grit; clarity guided by courage; vision anchored in excellence,” stressing that her rise in public service was deliberate and sustained by the hard work of nation-building.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, described Usman’s life as a shining example of discipline and commitment, urging her to remain steadfast in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also speaking, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the gathering was aimed at honouring a life defined by purpose and courage. He recalled that when Usman transitioned fully into government at state and national levels, she introduced structure, clarity and reforms, particularly at the Nigerian Ports Authority, raising standards of leadership and service delivery.
The Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, highlighted Usman’s consistent support for youth-focused initiatives, while the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar Abubakar, described the celebrant as a principled leader whose quiet conviction and fidelity to values have endured in both private and public life.
Delivering the keynote address, former public servant and governance reform advocate Joe Abah described senior-level public service as a rare privilege, urging those entrusted with leadership to exercise humility, restraint and courage.
“Out of over 240 million Nigerians, only a tiny fraction will ever serve at senior levels. It is not a right; it is a privilege to be deemed worthy to shape the lives of fellow citizens,” Abah said.
He cautioned that in today’s information-driven era, public officials can no longer rely solely on performance to speak for itself.
“Your work no longer speaks for you. You must speak for your work,” he said, warning against the abuse of delegated authority and advising leaders to keep “the big stick behind their back.”
Abah noted that meaningful reforms require political navigation beyond presidential directives, describing leadership as inherently difficult and governance as “harder than rocket science” because of identity, politics and competing interests.
He urged patience, noting that the impact of reforms often becomes evident long after officials have left office.
“A good name is more desirable than riches,” he said, urging public servants to stand for what is right, even if they must stand alone.
In her remarks, the celebrant, Hadiza Bala Usman, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima and other dignitaries for their support.
Recalling her roles in election planning since 2015 and her stewardship at the NPA, she fought back emotions as she recommitted herself to the Renewed Hope Agenda and to continued service in the national interest.
