Date: 2014-09-03

Originally, it was said the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. But in this season of politics, and especially in Nigeria, the fear of bad publicity is the beginning of wisdom. Most elections are first won or lost in the press. This is what I told Alhaji Sherif Shagaya in my first ever meeting with him. He hates publicity and dislikes blowing his trumpet, while I think you cannot be a politician and expect your silence to be louder than thunder. You either tell your story or people will help you to present them in ways you do not like. I finally convinced him to speak.

"Why do you want to be in the House of Representatives?" I asked Alhaji Sherif. And the man said something that provides justification for my initial support for him, even before I had the chance to meet or speak with him. He said, "Firstly, I must tell you that I do business with people all over the country, Hausa or Igbo. In the course of these business transactions, I must have received one assistance or the other. That is how business works. But no one has ever gone to announce or publicise that this is the help I rendered Sherif. So why should I begin to announce and list the number of people me or my mother assisted in Ilorin. So when people say that my family, especially my mother and myself, have not assisted anyone until now that I want votes to go to the House of Representatives; my response to that is that God should bring these people who said all this rubbish closer to the truth. Those we assisted and empowered are there and they know themselves.

"Now to your question: why do I want to be a House of Representatives member? You see, I do quite a lot of business with Igbo guys. I travelled to the East and I saw what young guys in their twenties are achieving with minimal assistance. A lot of young people there are being empowered in real terms. I saw all this and became disillusioned with the plight of my own people back in Ilorin. Look, forget that story of me not being close to Ilorin. I am very conversant with happenings in that State and I know the suffering many guys had to endure. I am aware many live on less than 1,000 naira a day. But how much can I do as an individual? How many people can I find job for and how much money can I give as Sherif Shagaya? I thought about this long and hard. Did I found the answer? Yes I did and I will tell you".

Sherif continues "I believe that government resources rightly belong to the people. My desire is to go to the House of Representatives to harness this 'thing' they call constituency allowance and all other benefits obtainable and give to the people who rightly own them. If other politicians collect these things, put them in their pockets or bank accounts and give crumps to the rightful owners (the people), I Sherif Shagaya, with all sense of humility, don't need it. I have been extremely lucky in life, so I don't think there is any material or wordly thing I am looking to have again."

All the while Alhaji Sherif Shagaya was talking, the only thought that was racing through my mind is how those who judge this fine gentleman by the opinion of others would get to know the sort of person he is. Real, unassuming and down to earth, Alhaji Sherif did not come across to me as your typical "ajebota" who define his relationship with others only by their status in life. He relates with commoners the same way he relates to his "big" friends. To Alhaji Sherif Shagaya, the human race is one and it has no class. This would be a revelation to those who have earlier announced to us that Sherif is arrogant and only befriend the rich.

But the news and indeed the good tidings I talk about is not in the character of Sherif Shagaya, even though this would also be quite appealing to the electorate. The good news is in the plan and agenda he has for his constituency of Asa/Ilorin west of Kwara State.

Alhaji Sherif is grieved that his constituency still cannot access good health care. He is bitter that his people still lack access to quality entrepreneurial training that will enable them to generate wealth for themselves.

As Honourable member, Alhaji Sherif Shagaya plans to influence the rapid development of communities within his constituency. This he would do by deliberately broadening the horizon of bright young men in the constituency. Yes, Sherif agreed that UK scholarships may be expensive, but he reckoned that if industrious and enterprising young men in his constituency can be assisted to study developmental courses like aeronautical engineering, environmental engineering, pharmacy etc in less expensive schools abroad; it would bring rapid growth to the constituency. He has a plan for an all expense paid scholarships for his people.

On health care, Alhaji Sherif plans to end the duties of husbands just at impregnating their wives. During his tenure as Honourable member, no single man in Asa/Ilorin West Constituency would have to worry about his wive's delivery cost, even if it is caesarian section and the child (when delivered) would enjoy free medical care until age four. All malaria and renal treatments would be free while oldies would enjoy free medical care.

Alhaji Sherif Shagaya also plans to drastically reduce the current excruciating poverty in the Constituency through creative empowerment initiatives, access to vocational and entrepreneurial trainings to curtail mass unemployment.

Why should we believe that Alhaji Sherif would do all he promised? The same reason we believed Chief Mashood Kashimawo Abiola in 1993. Like MKO, Sherif would be coming to the House of Representatives not as a hustler looking for means to feed, but as an accomplished individual simply driven by the desire to better the lot of his people. Like he said to me, our wealth means nothing if our neighbour remains hungry. Sherif sure has a tender spot in his heart for the deprived.

Aside being the first son of the fourth richest woman in Africa, Alhaji Sherif himself is an astute and accomplised businessman. At the age 24, he co-founded Phoenix Energy Nigeria Ltd, a fast growing Company which deals in volume delivery of diesel. He is also the Chairman/Managing Director of Kashton Concept Oil and Gas, a company established in 2005 and which is today a reputable player in the oil and gas downstream sector, dealing mainly in the importation and distribution of petroleum products. Presently, Alhaji Sherif Shagaya sits atop more than 10 reputable Companies, including Kashton Homes Limited as Chief Executive Officer.

He also had his fair share of political experience and tutelage under the late President Umar Musa Yar'Adua of blessed memory. As Presidential aide, Alhaji Sherif worked closely with the Economic Adviser to the President, Alhaji Tenimu Yakubu. While serving on the economic team of the late President, Sherif brought his private sector experience and business acumen to the discharge of his duties.

Alhaji Sherif Shagaya has accomplished quite impressive feats in his private life. And so a public service would be an opportunity to tap into the ingenuity of this very young man, whose versatility and active mind will be of immense value in the course of his assignment as a Legislative member.

To those who still haven't seen anything good in this cerebral young man, the only thing you can do to stop hearing the truth about Sherif Shagaya is to stop telling lies about him. I believe, like many others, that if voting can change anything, this is the time for the people of Asa/Ilorin West Constituency to use it to change their lives for good and forever.

Like they say, if God wants us to vote, he would give us a good candidate. Now God has done His part by given us a candidate that is not only good but also willing to give back to us what has been denied us over the years. It is left for us to play our own part.

Abdullahi writes from Abuja