Ibrahim shehu shema biography of abraham

Ibrahim Shehu Shema is a Nigerian lawyer and politician born on September 22, 1957, in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State. ”

Truly, Dr Shema, as a governor between 2007 and 2015, may be said to have been stingy with public funds.

In the school of political mentorship of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, Shema stands out as the most enduring legacy of service to humanity. Later in 1998, he obtained a Master’s degree in Commercial Law from the same university.

Career

Before entering politics, Shema practiced law and built a strong professional reputation.

One can say unequivocally that the successful outcome of the legal challenge mounted against Boeing Seattle, Washington: the US manufacturer of the Nigerian Airways plane that crashed in Kaduna in 1995 was much to the credit of his legal practice. He also served as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Peoples Democratic Institute, Chairman of the National Reconciliation Committee for the South-South, and Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.

Shema was elected Governor of Katsina State on April 12th, 2007, as successor to Umaru Yar'Adua, who had been elected President.

While serving as the Principal in Shema S. Ibrahim and Company Legal Practitioners in Kaduna, he found time to obtain his Master’s of Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University.

Having established himself in leadership positions in the business and legal world, he turned his attention to Public Service. Why wouldn’t I be stingy with public funds for my administration to record landmark achievements?

A trained lawyer with many years of experience, Shema is known for his role in politics and governance in northern Nigeria. He provided a rural ambulance health service scheme for rural dwellers at no cost to any of them. He is also a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Beyond his distinguished legal practice, his sojourn in other areas of the business world is also no less impressive.

Career

As a Governor of Katsina State, he has been described as a "stingy governor" since he has refused to open the State's vault for Katsina politicians, a characteristic he shares with his predecessor, Yar'Adua. He emphasised that the duo are leaders who mean well in providing good governance for the populace. He is an undisputed architect of modern Katsina state as a result of massive human and physical infrastructural development executed by his administration.

The Channels Television presenter, Nneota Obase Ogbe, in December 2023, during an interview with Shema for the station programme, News Night, asked, “Some people referred to you as a stingy governor?” Shema responded, ” a stingy governor?

Whether that is the norm in Nigeria or not will be a matter for another day. In 1999, he was appointed Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Katsina State. According to him although the present situation is tough and challenging, it is going to be temporary due to the sincerity, dedication and commitment of the leaders I earlier mentioned.

He is a well-cultured and polished politician.

He was reelected for another four year term on 28 April 2011, running on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He was abused, accused, and hated by the political elites in collaboration with some of his aides due to his refusal to make public funds available for sharing.

Therefore, it is not surprising that Shema who followed the footsteps of Yar’adua as a governor, became despised and envious by some political elites for his refusal to open the public treasury for sharing, and also due to his intimidating record of his achievements.

He was re-elected for a second term in office in 2011 and was sworn in for another four year tenure on May 29th, 2011.

Shema is an Associate Member of the American Bar Association (ABA), Member International Bar Association (IBA), Notary Republic, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Victor Folsom Fellow for Africa and Fellow Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM). 

Ibrahim Shema Personal Life

A devote Muslim, Shema has two wives, Hajiya Fatima Ibrahim Shema, and Maryam Yar’Adua.

Ibrahim Shema Awards

Shema was awarded the Best Implementing State Governor (Year 2007) for Universal Basic Education (UBEC), Best Governor Agric Small Micro Credit Guarantee Scheme (2007) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sardauna Leadership Awards as Best Governor in Education (2010) and the Mass Transit Award by the Federal Ministry of Transport (2010).

Ibrahim Shema Net Worth

His net worth is not available.

In such a state with huge monthly wage bill for civil servants, it will be difficult for any meaningful infrastructural development to take place under any Governor except the person who is ready to be stingy with public funds.

The tone of being stingy with public funds in the state was laid by Shema’s father, mentor, and leader, the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua (Katsina state governor between 1999 – 2007).