Full Name: Kashim Shettima
State of Origin: Borno State.
Date of Birth: September 2, 1966.
Nationality: Nigerian
Marriage status: Married.
Spouse(s): Nana Shettima
Alma mater: University of Maiduguri, University of Ibadan.
Occupation: Banker, Politician.
Position(S): Governor of Borno State (29 May 2011 – 29 May 2019)
Political party: All Progressives Congress (APC).
Twitter:@KashimSM
Kashim Ibraheem Shettima is a renowned Nigerian politician who has served in different political spheres of the country. He served as the Governor of Borno State from 2011 to 2019. Since 2019, he has been serving as the senator representing Borno Central. In 2023, Kashim Shettima was nominated and chosen to be the Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress(APC), running alongside Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is equally the presidential candidate.
Early Life & Education
Kashim Shettima was born on the 2nd of September, 1966, in Maiduguri, Borno State, to the family of Sir Kashim Ibrahim. He spent his early life as he grew up in Maiduguri. He went to Lamisula Primary School, Maiduguri for his primary school education from 1972 to 1978. Shettima went further to Government Community Secondary School, in Biu, from 1978 to 1980. He later went to Government Science Secondary School, where he finished his secondary education in 1983. In 1989, Kashim Shettima earned his B.Sc degree in Agricultural Economics at the University of Maiduguri.
From 1989 to 1990, he completed his one-year National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) requirement in the now-defunct Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative Bank in Calabar, the state capital of Cross River State which falls in the South-South region of Nigeria. Furthermore, he went to the University of Ibadan in Southwest Nigeria, where he graduated with a Master of Science (MSc) in Agricultural Economics in 1991. Between 1991 and 1993, Shettima worked as a lecturer in the department of agricultural economics at the University of Maiduguri.
Professional Career
He entered the banking industry in 1993 and began working for Commercial Bank of Africa Limited as head of the accounts section in Ikeja, Lagos State. Shettima served there between 1993 and 1997. He joined the African International Bank Limited in 1997 as a Deputy Manager and advanced to the position of Manager in 2001. He shifted to the Zenith Bank in 2001 and later became the manager of Maiduguri’s main branch. Prior to leaving the Zenith Bank in 2007 as a General Manager after being appointed Commissioner for Finance in Borno State, he rose through the ranks at the bank to Senior Manager/Branch Head, Assistant General Manager (AGM)/Zonal Head (North-East), and Deputy General Manager/Zonal Head (North-East).
Political Career
Shettima worked as a Commissioner in 5 Ministries from 2007 to 2011. Engineer Modu Fannami Gubio was chosen as a candidate for governor in the ANPP primaries in January 2011. Gubio was later killed by attackers, and in February 2011, he won a second primary election. Shettima won the election on April 26, 2011, receiving 531,147 votes. In 2019, he became the winner of the Borno Central Senatorial District election. In 2022, he was chosen as the Vice President candidate under the All Progressive Congress (APC), thereby running alongside Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.
Personal Life
Kashim Shettima is married to Nana Shettima. The couple is happily married and already has three children.
Controversy
Kashim Shettima became a matter of serious discussion shortly after he was declared the running mate alongside Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the coming 2023 presidential election. He was accused of allegedly harboring the mastermind of the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Kabiru Sokoto.
On the contrary, Senator Shehu Sani, a human rights activist and senator in the Eighth National Assembly, has criticized people who are equating Senator Kashim Shettima with the feared Boko Haram sect. He further pointed out that the comments that followed the selection of Shettima, including suggestions and accusations linking him to the emergence, expansion, and destruction by the Boko Haram group, were horrible and devious.
Awards & Nominations
| Year | Event | Prize | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Kaduna NUJ Award | Courage and Exceptional Leadership | Won |
| 2017 | FCT NUJ Merit Award | Exceptional Leadership | Won |
| 2017 | Zik Prize for Leadership | Governor of the Year | Won |
| 2017 | Tell magazine; 2017 | Governor of the Year | Won |
| 2016 | Vanguard newspapers | Governor of the Year | Won |
| 2015 | Nigeria Union of Journalists, national body | Governor of the Year | Won |
| 2015 | NewsWatchTimes | Governor of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | Leadership Awards | Governor of the Year | Won |