President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday congratulated Dr Kole Shettima on his 65th birthday.
Shettima, who is the Director of MacArthur Foundation for Africa, is a scholar and activist who has contributed immensely to nation-building, the President said in a statement by Mr Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman.
President Tinubu underscored Shettima’s role in the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy and advancement of human rights, peace and justice.
The President also acknowledged MacArthur Foundation’s assistance in mentoring new non-state actors and supporting government and non-governmental organisations in addressing pressing developmental challenges.
He prayed for good health for Shettima as he continued to rededicate himself to the service of humanity.
Symposium and gathering of friends
The presidential felicitations followed on a gathering of friends and associates of Dr. Shettima, at a symposium, held in his honor, with the theme:”Role of Philanthropy in Strengthening Democracy in Africa”.
The event, according to the organisers, was an acknowledgment of Shettima’s immense contributions to the advancement of democracy, social justice, and good governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Dr. Y.Z. Ya’u, Executive Director of the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), representing the Committee of Friends and Comrades of Dr. Shettima, opened the event.
Ya’u explained how Dr. Shettima’s career, particularly his leadership at the MacArthur Foundation, has been instrumental in supporting democratic causes in Nigeria and across Africa. “Under his stewardship, the foundation has provided critical support to civil society, government, and the private sector in efforts to strengthen democracy,” he said.
“However, his tireless efforts in the service of democracy and social justice made the occasion not only a personal one but a collective moment to honor his life’s work
He traced Dr Shettima’s activism to the early 1980s, where he played pivotal roles in movements such as Women in Nigeria (WIN), the anti-apartheid struggle, and the pro-democracy movement against military rule.
“He has mentored generations of activists, offering guidance and support to those working towards a more just and democratic society,” Ya’u said.
Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, a Ghanaian scholar, in his Keynote Lecture, noted that Dr Shettima’s leadership quality is characterized by modesty and thoughness.
“Recognizing that democracy cannot thrive without strong institutions and inclusive governance, philanthropic organizations began funding initiatives aimed at judicial reforms, leadership development, anti-corruption efforts, and public sector transparency.
“The Organization for Economic Operations and Development estimated that between 2018 and 2020, philanthropy contributed approximately $5 billion dollars to sub-saharan Africa,”he said.
A Longtime associate and Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Mrs Amina Mohammed praised Dr Shettima for his contributions to the development of democracy across Africa.
“Let me talk about Dr. Kole the man, because I think it was said earlier, this is a Nigerian, a human being with such a level of humility, it makes all of us embarrassed when we come into the room. So thank you for being who you are, for the friendship, for the consistency of action, every one of us.
“The real family I want to thank today are your wife and children, because they have stood behind you, and for you and with you. and we are grateful to them for giving us you, because you are always with us.
“If we believe in democracy, then we have to be the fire under the feet of those we elected into office of parliamentarians, and we have to be sure that we are representative of those issues we say we know best, which are in our community,” she said.
Former Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi also disclosed how Dr Shettima has stood with him over the years.
“When you talk about Kole, what come to your mind is an inveterate networker, and humanist who exemplifies empathy in all ways,” he said.
One of the panelists, Dr. Hilary Ogbonna, said there are sufficient resources in Nigeria and other African countries, adding that they do not need foreign aid.
”I want to join others in wishing Dr Kole Shettima a happy birthday. There is no way we can’t see our progress, even though little in attaining the sustainable development goals being impacted by the current situation we find ourselves as Africa and as the developing world, ” he said.
“However, it is not taking away the fact that building on what philanthropy has gained over the last few decades in Africa, that we still have that foundation that has been laid for us to move to the next chapter. I think one of the speakers talked about the next chapter, the next chapter of ensuring that we have a very solid plan for intergenerational progress, moving from one generation to the other in terms of leadership for democracy across Africa,
“And not just political leadership. I am talking about leadership civil society, leadership for philanthropy. And I will just say, in a very big tribute to Dr Koke Shettima, that 27 years ago, I was among the law students that MackArthur foundation funded for three years to be part of human rights camp and across the country.
Secretary General of WRAPA, Hajia Saudatu Mahdi also said Nigeria needed to start looking inward.
”We need to start thinking inward but what is right now, the challenge for impacting that process, we have three fundamental issues, in my humble view, first, is it going to be structured such that it is apolitical, it is also generous enough and does not have any coloration?
“That is very, very important. Number two, what do we do with the trust deficit between the civic actors and those who hold either power or resources? Those who hold power shrink the civic space where of course citizens thrive better than the government.
“We need to be able to translate things such as constituency projects, into development projects,” she said.
Another Panelist and Special Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mohammaf Kuna said,”There is danger thinking of philanthropy as a solution for every problem. The state had a critical responsibility to discharge. The people must hold the government accountable to do what they are supposed to do before thinking of external assistance.
“The citizens need to push the government to discharge their responsibilities effectively, from where the state stops foreign aides can takeover,” he said.
