Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on public servants across the country to remain selfless and committed to excellence in order to build enduring legacies in public service and strengthen national institutions.
Shettima made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at 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, enduring legacies in public service are sustained through discipline, consistency of effort, strength of character and resilience, especially in the face of the challenges involved in building functional institutions.
“If we are to raise more generations of Nigerians 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, the Vice President described Hadiza Bala Usman as a role model not only for young women in northern Nigeria but for the entire nation, noting that her career in public service was built quietly on responsibility, courage and institutional reforms rather than personal acclaim.
He said Usman earned her influence through what he described as “a rare combination of grace strengthened by grit, clarity guided by courage, and a commitment to vision and excellence.”
Shettima added that Usman’s journey was particularly significant, as it emerged from a region where many young women still seek proof that ambition and leadership are attainable.
Her achievements, he said, were deliberate and sustained by a deep commitment to nation building.
Earlier, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, described Usman’s life and career as a shining example of discipline, urging her to remain steadfast in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, said the colloquium was organised to honour a life defined by purpose, courage and unwavering commitment to public service.
Gbajabiamila recalled Usman’s tenure at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), where she introduced reforms that brought structure, clarity and improved leadership standards to one of the country’s most strategic agencies.
Also speaking, the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, acknowledged Usman’s support for youth-focused initiatives, noting that her relevance in public service had positively impacted programmes aimed at empowering young Nigerians.
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar Abubakar, described the celebrant as a long-time friend and a woman of principle, characterised by quiet clarity and conviction in both private and public life.
In his keynote address titled “Leadership Delivery and the Courage to Serve,” a former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr Joe Abah, said serving Nigeria at a senior level was a privilege that comes with the responsibility of positively impacting citizens’ lives.
Abah highlighted leadership lessons drawn from Usman’s career, noting that leaders must now actively speak for their work in the face of misinformation, while accepting that the true impact of leadership is sometimes only visible after leaving office.
In her remarks, Hadiza Bala Usman expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima and other dignitaries for their support in her political and public service journey.
She recalled her roles in election planning since 2015 and her tenure at the NPA, reaffirming her commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda and the continued service of Nigeria.
