‘Tiramisu Delight’ At UNGA

On September 10, 2024, Vice President Kashim Shettima was in Maiduguri to commiserate with victims of the flood disaster that had engulfed the state capital from the collapse of the Alau Dam. He represented Mr. President, to oversee the implementation of the comprehensive flood mitigation measures set in motion by the federal government. He relayed Mr. President’s deepest sympathies to the people of Borno State and his assurances that the federal government will prioritise the welfare of the affected communities.

He announced the provision of N3 billion for the immediate relief of the situation from the federal government, amongst over relief donations and support. On September 14, 2024, Vice President Kashim Shettima was in Edo State, for the grand finale of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial campaigns for the off-season elections in the state. He represented Mr. President at the event, where he led a delegation of top party chieftains, and APC governors from across the country. In his speech, he promised the people of Edo that his party was going to birth a new state and this will bring positive change with greater opportunities for everyone.

On September 18, 2024, the VP hosted the Halal Economy Stakeholders’ Engagement Programme at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He commended the private sector for its immense contributions to driving the halal economy, which is a $7.7 trillion market. He emphasised that by hosting investor summits, roadshows, and business matchmaking events to showcase the vast opportunities within Nigeria’s halal sector, the country would be able to attract international investments.

The VP also said Nigeria would become a leading hub for investment in the halal economy because of “our economic and demographic size, which gives us a unique advantage in developing a vibrant halal investment sector.” On September 18, 2024, the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) chaired by the VP, ratified the 2021/2022 audited financial reports of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

FOR THE RECORD: Nigeria’s National Statement Delivered By VP Kashim Shettima At The General Debate Session Of 79th UNGA In New York

The council also approved the progress made by BPE in the implementation of its 2024 work plan aimed at strengthening its operations. The council’s approvals were among the decisions taken at the 3rd meeting of the NCP chaired by the VP at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. On September 19, 2024, the VP, who chairs the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), charged regulatory agencies to eliminate overlaps and align their actions with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for economic growth and improved ease of doing business in Nigeria. He said this at the PEBEC regulators’ forum to build an effective regulatory impact framework (RIA) for Nigeria, which was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. “Our duty to the private sector is clear: to listen, process their concerns and develop solutions that drive growth,” he added.

On September 21, 2024, the VP departed Abuja for the United States (US), to represent Mr. President at the United Nations 79th General Assembly. He is the first Nigerian VP to do so. The VP’s outing at UNGA has been a remarkable one, with Nigeria attracting millions and billions of foreign direct investments into the country. The highlights of President Tinubu’s speech, well delivered by the VP include: insisting on a permanent seat on the UN Security Council for Nigeria and other African countries; call for collective action against hunger, terrorism, climate change, others; renewed financial architecture and debt forgiveness for developing countries; caution on the pursuit of individual national priorities which undermine the resolutions on global challenges.

At a US-Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable at UNGA, the US Chamber of Commerce committed $320 million for mortgage financing, SMEs and others. In another meeting, the VP welcomed Exxonmobil’s $10 billion deep water investment plan in Nigeria. Mastercard is also partnering with Nigeria to support one million farmers. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also pledged a donation of $600,000 as relief for the victims of the flooding in Maiduguri, Borno State. These are just a few of the side events at the 79th UNGA.

Now back to Tiramisu… you may have wondered: what is Tiramisu? I was dumbfounded too when I heard it for the first time. A long time ago as a young man I had a lady friend who introduced me to Tiramisu; an ice cream flavour which was created from the Italian dessert “Tiramisu”, made of pastries, coffee, cocoa etc. Really good ice cream, this Tiramisu delight. Now, since the VP’s jibe at the former VP, coined as campaign humour, his detractors have resorted to calling him an ice cream man. They mocked him as being sidelined and now just a man on ice cream duty. But a look at the VP’s itinerary in the last two weeks of September 2024 alone, as captured in this article, is a crowded schedule of activities.

As I write, he is doing Mr. President and Nigeria proud with a very good outing at UNGA. Even if he were the president, this is the height of it and the busiest he can ever be. If this is what it means to be an ice cream man, then I must say that this is a very good and healthy dose of ice cream just like Tiramisu. Anything more than this would be injurious to him and can lead to ill health like “political diabetes” and all that. Those egging him to do “I too know” are political voltrons who wish to create a rift between him and his principal, principally to take his seat. To their dismay, he is at UNGA and has been a delight at that.