Shettima Marks Eid-El-Fitr at Home in Maiduguri
Shettima didn’t just pass through Maiduguri this Eid-El-Fitr—he intentionally chose to celebrate in his roots, alongside family, friends, and community elders. This year, while the president marked the end of Ramadan in Abuja, Nigeria’s Vice President took a different route and boarded a flight north, touching down in Borno’s bustling capital just as the festivities kicked off.
His arrival was anything but low-key. Welcoming crowds lined the streets, eager to greet their hometown statesman. The city wore a festive look, with prayers echoing from mosques and local markets packed with families preparing traditional holiday meals. For Shettima, the trip was both personal and political—a chance to reconnect with his beginnings while engaging directly with the people he’s served both as former governor and now as vice president.
Luncheon with Elders: A Call for Unity
During his stay, Shettima hosted a luncheon that brought together Maiduguri’s most respected elders and his former schoolmates—a gathering rich in nostalgia and influence. It wasn’t all celebration and shared memories; the Vice President took the opportunity to strike a serious note. In a brief but pointed speech, he made unity the centerpiece.
He told the room, "We should all perfect, maintain, and build on the sense of unity that exists among us for our collective gain and progress as a gift for one another." His words landed with weight, especially among the diverse gathering that included Muslims, Christians, local business figures, and retired civil servants. Shettima’s message was simple: differences shouldn’t divide. With Nigeria still facing deep ethnic and religious divisions, his push for unity wasn’t just a holiday sentiment—it was a reminder of what needs fixing at the national level.
The luncheon itself became a symbolic gesture. Old classmates who once shared school lunches now found themselves discussing the challenges facing their communities over plates of local delicacies. Elders reminisced about times when Maiduguri was peaceful and thriving, and conversations kept circling back to how unity and peaceful coexistence are now more important than ever.
This emphasis on harmonious relationships didn’t just stay in the walls of the luncheon hall. Word spread quickly through Maiduguri’s neighborhoods. For many residents, having the Vice President back home, eating local dishes and listening first-hand to their stories, felt like more than just tradition. It was a signal that unity isn’t just a slogan spoken in the capital—it’s something that starts on familiar ground, among people who know each other’s struggles and hopes.
If Shettima’s Eid message gets picked up beyond Borno’s borders, it might spark similar conversations nationwide about bridging divides and building on what connects Nigerians. For now, after a whirlwind holiday, Shettima is back in Abuja, but his call for togetherness is still echoing through his hometown—and maybe a bit beyond.