Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on Nigerian public servants to remain selfless and committed to excellence, stressing that enduring legacies in public service are built on discipline, consistency and strong character.
Shettima made the remarks on Tuesday in Abuja during a colloquium organised to mark the 50th birthday of Hajiya 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, lasting impact in public service is sustained by resilience and dedication to excellence, regardless of the challenges involved in building strong institutions.
“If we are to raise more generations of Nigerians ready to lead with purpose, deliver with excellence and serve with courage, we must remember this truth: intention without the willingness to pay the price of service remains wishful thinking,” Shettima said.
He described Hadiza Bala Usman as a distinguished public servant whose career was shaped by quiet decisions, full responsibility and a commitment to institutional development rather than the pursuit of applause.
“There is no doubt that Hadiza’s place in our public service history is secure. What she has become is a product of responsibilities carried fully and institutions strengthened with care,” the Vice President stated.
Shettima noted that Usman’s rise in public service was deliberate and earned, adding that her journey serves as inspiration, particularly for young women in northern Nigeria seeking proof that ambition and leadership are attainable.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, described Usman’s life as a shining example of discipline and dedication to service, urging her to remain steadfast in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
