By Ayo Yusuf
Despite the national embarrassment she suffered when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu removed her name from his ministerial list minutes before she appeared before the Senate for screening, Dr Maryam Shetty has said she felt rather honoured to have been nominated at all.
Dr Shetty who refused to blame the president for the fiasco insisted that it was all part of the unpredictability of life.
The 44 year old physiotherapist who has since been appointed a Special Adviser to the President on Culture said she bore nobody any ill will.
She said being nominated was a validation of her capabilities and a sign of the nation’s readiness to appoint young women from the most traditional parts of the country to high office.
Although no official reason was made for her substitution with Dr. Mariya Mahmoud also from Kano, Dr Shetty said at no point did she consider the development a setback.
In a statement she made yesterday, Dr Shetty noted, “I have found myself at the centre of a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s political landscape. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a move that brought me immense honour, chose me as a ministerial nominee. Coming from the traditional, conservative regions of northern Nigeria, this represented a significant stride towards a more inclusive national representation.
“The sheer joy and pride I felt at my nomination were beyond words. It was a validation of my capabilities, a nod to my vision, and a sign that our great nation was ready to embrace a future where young women like me, even from the most traditional parts of Nigeria, can hold positions of influence and power.
“Yet, life, with its characteristic unpredictability, led to the withdrawal of my nomination. To some, this could seem like a setback, but my faith as a devout Muslim guided my understanding. I saw it as the divine will of Allah, who I believe grants power as He wishes when He wishes. His plans are always superior to ours.”
