Vice President Kashim Shettima has appealed to Nigerians, friends, supporters and well-wishers not to spend money on gifts or material celebrations as he marks his 60th birthday. Shettima, who clocked 60 on Wednesday, made the appeal in a personal message titled, “What I Ask For at Sixty,” ahead of his birthday. The Vice President said... The post Shettima At 60: VP Asks Nigerians To Give To Charity appeared first on New Telegraph .
Vice President Kashim Shettima has appealed to Nigerians, friends, supporters and well-wishers not to spend money on gifts or material celebrations as he marks his 60th birthday.
Shettima, who clocked 60 on Wednesday, made the appeal in a personal message titled, “What I Ask For at Sixty,” ahead of his birthday.
The Vice President said he was deeply grateful for the affection, prayers and goodwill he had received from Nigerians over the years but urged those who wished to celebrate him to channel whatever money they intended to spend on gifts towards charity or helping someone in need.
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According to Shettima, turning 60 should be a period of reflection, gratitude and service rather than an occasion for material accumulation or elaborate celebrations.
“Sixty is an age at which our people expect a man to have exchanged impulse for reflection, vanity for gratitude, and the desire to accumulate for the wisdom to give,” he said.
Shettima said the milestone had reinforced his belief that people should focus more on their contributions to society than on what they had accumulated over the years.
He therefore appealed to his friends, associates, supporters, admirers and well-wishers across the country and beyond not to spend money on gifts or material ventures in his honour.
“I therefore appeal once again to everyone who wishes me well not to spend money marking my day, but to channel whatever resources they may have intended for such gestures to a charity, cause or person of their choice anywhere in our country,” the Vice President said.
Shettima noted that Nigeria could become a better society when citizens cared for people who needed support, stressing that generosity was not necessarily measured by the size of the donation.
He said even the smallest act of kindness could make a significant difference when offered at a time another person needed help.
The Vice President also reflected on the role of family, friends, teachers, colleagues, supporters, well-wishers and strangers in helping individuals reach important milestones in life.
He said nobody gets to the age of 60 entirely through personal effort, adding that people should repay the kindness they have received by extending similar gestures to others who may not have the opportunity to reciprocate.
“It is only fitting that we repay such debts in the currency in which they were incurred: by extending kindness to those who may never be in a position to repay us,” he said.
Shettima said his greatest request ahead of his birthday was for prayers rather than advertisements, gifts and celebrations.
He urged Nigerians to pray for him and the country, particularly for peace across communities, prosperity, wise leadership and the realisation of Nigeria’s potential.
The Vice President described Nigeria as a country blessed with an industrious population, entrepreneurial spirit, cultural diversity and a youthful population whose talent, ambition and creativity remain important national assets.
He expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their loyalty, affection, friendship and prayers throughout the years, while wishing them long life, good health and fulfilment.
Shettima encouraged Nigerians to embrace the quiet joy of helping others, particularly people who may never be able to repay their kindness.
