Encomium for Kole Shettima at foundation’s impact series

Encomium, praises and positive testimonies were showered on the Country Director of McArthur Foundation in Nigeria, Dr Kole Shettima, when he featured in the “Impact Series,” of the Akin Fadeyi Foundation (AFF). The inspiring testimonials were delivered by his colleagues, friends, associates, and partners from various disciplines that included the media, academics, civil society, religious and governmental institutions.  

Spotlighting him, the founder of AFF, Mr. Akin Fadeyi, described him as “a role-modelling programme for Nigerian youth to embrace the culture of diligence, hard work, forbearance, altruistic pursuit of generosity and mutual respect within our ecosystem.”

The platform was in its third edition having launched some weeks earlier with the story of impacts of one of Nigeria’s living legal luminaries and philanthropists, Aare Afe Babalola.

As the dignitaries took turn to speak, they spoke glowingly about Shettima reminiscent of those usually found at funerals in Nigeria but surprisingly the forum wasn’t a gathering of mourners. It paraded an assembly of prominent figures who expressed their fulfillment that they had the privilege to celebrate their hero while alive.

The list of these testifiers included the wife of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; acting Executive Director of Centre for Civilians in Conflict, Comrade Jude Ilo; Publisher of Premium Times, who doubles as the Exexutive Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, Dapo Olorunyomi; Executive Director of Progressive Impact Organisation for Community Development (PRIMORG), Augustin Agbonsuremi; Head of Influencing and Public Engagement at Oxfam Nigeria, Ramotu Bakko; Executive Director of Lux Terra Foundation, Father George Ehuseni; Executive Director of Women Radio, Mrs Toun Okewale-Sonaiya; CEO of Radio Now, Ms Kadaria Ahmed, among many others.

Opening the floor was the former Ekiti State first lady, who described Shettima as a man whose vision, values and practice are in full alignment. She said as a friend of more than 30 years, she could tell that his “values of honesty, integrity, fairness, equality, and the practice makes him to exemplify true spirit of transformative leadership.” 

She said she was proud to call Shettima her friend, brother, and mentor, saying it was “a great opportunity to tell him how we feel about him to his face.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am that we are having this kind of event. This is great because we are not here to pay him our last respect as we have done for many of our comrades in the civil society over the past couple of years.” On his part, Father Ehusani said in a nation where there is dearth of leadership, Shettima has shown good leadership. 

“The friendship of Shettima is very encouraging – friendship, patience, humility, humour and his graceful presence that many of us don’t have. You have been a gift to this country. He seems to know everyone like friends and brothers,” he said.

Also speaking on the platform, the former Director-General of Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr Joe Abah, said he knows Shettima as someone always willing to tackle difficult issues such as corruption, electricity, media freedom, and electoral issues.

Abah said: “Under his leadership, McArthur Foundation hasn’t shied away from some of those crucial issues facing Nigeria. He is also an innovator- he started the idea of building local capacity long before many other donors thought about it, ensuring that the capacity of Nigerian organisations are built, and ensuring that the quality of work coming out of Nigeria can compete with global equivalents, and he is doing all of that constantly with a smile on his face, and without any drama. 

“I consider him to be a personal friend, somebody I respect immensely, and someone from who I have learnt and I have continued to learn.”

For Olorunyomi, Shettima started out long enough as a member of student movements in his university days advocating for better Nigeria, and grew to pursue the dream of supporting every efforts towards achieving that.

He said: “At the risk of sounding repetitive, I will say that Kole started out as an undergraduate who was really committed for a better Nigeria; he found himself very active in the student movement. When we left school, he started working with organisations like Women in Nigeria, and he went on in adult life to do the kind of work that he does now.

“I think what he represents is a thoughtful person, culture-blind, extreme fairness, even-minded, and his humility is just unravelling. In spite of the power, so to say, he now has, he continues to be very unassuming and keeps his sense of friendship very unique and distinct.”

Others who spoke included M.r Simon Kolawole of TheCable Newspaper; the former Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative, Mr. Waziri Adio; the Executive Director of African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Comrade Chido Onumah, and Shettima’s colleague in the office, Dr Amina Salihu, who moderated the forum.

In his response, Shettima said he was surprised to be so celebrated by people he never thought were being arranged to be featured on the programme. He described what he witnessed as a “bloodless coup,” saying while the comments were being passed he was wiping tears from his face.
He thanked the organisers for the honour and encouragement, saying he was also an advocate of celebration of people while alive. 

He said: “This is a big surprise to me. I never anticipated this kind of celebration that you people have done for me. And I want to thank everyone who has spoken on this platform for all the very kind words- empathetic and sympathetic words, and for everything you have said.

“I have always said that organisations are run by human beings, and I always want us to pay attention to the human beings that work with us, because at the end of the day, it is these human beings that will make all the praise that we get. I have been been lucky to have these very wonderful colleagues here in Nigeria and as well as in Chicago who have made the work much more easier and much more beautiful for us to be able to do what we are doing.

“I definitely care about people and what we should do. I am sensitive to people’s feelings, and I think the Foundation has given me the platform to appreciate and realise some of my own values. All of us at the foundation are very fortunate and very lucky to have the resources to pursue what the foundation believes in and which we all believe in, which is having a world that is better for everyone.”