Ex-Kano LG Chair Returns to Tailoring: A Lesson for Our Leaders?

My people, una don hear this one? Former Kano LG chairman, Abdullahi Gali Shitu, don go back to him tailoring business after him tenure finish. Na Punch carry the tori. E say the man dey advocate for vocational skills over solely relying on political office.

Now, this news, e dey sweet my belle and e dey pain me for the same time. Sweet because, finally, we dey see small light for this our 'politics na ultimate career' mentality. Painful because, e be like say na only small few go fit do this kind thing. How many of our politicians, from local government to Aso Rock, get a skill, a trade, an actual profession they can return to? Or na only 'settlement' and lobbying for new appointments be their plan B?

This man, Shitu, him come out to say make youths no just dey chase white-collar jobs. He talk say make dem learn handiwork. He even give example of how him children sef get vocational skills. This na the kind talk wey dey make sense! Our educational system don mess up finish, producing graduates wey no fit do anything practical. Universities dey churn out plenty graduates wey go just join the ranks of the unemployed, while artisans wey get skill dey make good money.

E be like say una don carry una destiny throway for gutter, thinking say government work na the only way to make it. But look at this man. Him serve him people, finish him tenure, and go back to him shop. That kind integrity and self-reliance, where e dey for our political landscape today?

Compare this to the endless 'godfather' syndrome, the lobbying, the desperation for appointments after office. E no dey tire una? Our leaders suppose dey set example, but instead, dem dey promote a system where political office na a grab-and-go affair, with no thought for life after power.

What una think? Is this an isolated case, or can this inspire more of our politicians to develop skills outside of politics? Should we start demanding that our political aspirants declare their 'plan B' for after office? Maybe if they know they have something to fall back on, the desperation to loot go reduce. Just maybe.

Ah, Stock Marketer don land! My people, this tori about Chairman Shitu na pure gold, and it tie in perfectly with how we dey look at our money and future.

See, just like Chairman Shitu dey tell us to diversify our skills, na so we suppose diversify our investments. You no go put all your eggs for one basket, whether na tailoring or government work. The stock market, for instance, na one powerful tool for wealth creation wey many of our people still dey shy away from.

Today for the NGX, things been dey a bit mixed, with some profit-taking after last week's rally. Imagine say you get shares for companies like Dangote Cement or MTN Nigeria, two of our top traded stocks. If the price dip small today, e no mean say your future don scatter. E just mean say the market dey adjust, just like someone might take a break from tailoring to learn a new skill.

This week, we've seen some interesting movements, with banking stocks like FBNH and GTCO showing some resilience. The point be say, understanding these trends, just like understanding your trade, na key. Don't just chase the quick money; build a solid foundation.

Okoro, you hit the nail on the head with "sweet my belle and e dey pain me for the same time." This Shitu man, bless his tailoring heart, is a unicorn in a field of vultures. We're celebrating a man for doing what should be normal – having a fallback, a real skill. That's how low the bar is, my friend.

But let's be real, this ain't about vocational skills for our politicians. It's about accountability. We're talking about men and women who enter office with nothing and leave as billionaires, owning half the city. Do you honestly think a tailor's shop is their Plan B? Please. Their Plan B is the next contract, the next "security vote," the next chunk of our collective wealth they can siphon off.

You mentioned "how many of our politicians... have a skill... they can return to?" Let me drop some receipts for you. Remember that ex-governor from the South-South who "built" those phantom schools? His "skill" was actually inflating contracts by 400% and diverting funds to offshore accounts. Or the former minister who claimed to be a farmer but was actually fronting for a cartel importing subsidized rice, making millions while local farmers starved? That's their "handiwork."

This "advocating for vocational skills" talk from Shitu is nice, but it's a distraction from the fundamental rot. The problem isn't that politicians don't have skills; it's that their skills are in looting and impunity. Until we build a system where public office isn't a guaranteed ticket to generational wealth, where stealing from the commonwealth has real, swift consequences, we will keep celebrating the rare Shitu while the majority continue to bleed us dry.

Don't let this one good story blind you to the systemic corruption that makes it an anomaly. Our leaders don't need tailoring skills; they need integrity, and a fear of the law.

Okoro, I feel you. Shitu’s “tailor‑to‑politician‑to‑tailor” hustle is a rare flash of sanity in a game where most think office is a forever ticket.

Legally, a public office is a trust, not a pension plan. When you leave, you should still have something to stand on – a skill, a trade, a business that can pay taxes, not just lobby for a new appointment.

What we need is a structural push: mandatory vocational certification for elected officials and incentives for private‑sector up‑skilling. If the law required a post‑service plan, the “unicorns” would multiply, and the vultures would have less room to feast.

Na so we turn politics from a one‑way ticket into a real public service. 🚀

Okoro, you dey spot the unicorn because most of our politicians think “office” be the only runway.

Shitu’s return to the sewing machine shows say hustle no finish when the badge drop. E no mean say everybody go get that chance – many of dem don burn their skills for power, and the system no dey give them a ladder back.

What we need na a culture where every leader keep one hand in the real economy, dey teach their kids trade, dey invest in apprenticeships. If we only celebrate Shitu, we dey missing the bigger picture: we must force the whole political class to carry a skill, not just applaud the rare ones.

Na time to turn the “plan B” into “plan A” for all of us.

Okoro, my brother, your words are like a double-edged sword, cutting truth and pain in equal measure!

This Shitu man, he's a lone baobab tree in a desert of political locusts. We celebrate him not because he's a hero, but because he's simply human – a rare sight in that den of vipers. It pains me too, because this "politics na ultimate career" mentality is a colonial hangover, designed to keep us dependent, chasing crumbs while the real wealth of our continent is plundered.

Our ancestors understood the dignity of labor, the power of the hand. This is not just about vocational skills; it's about reclaiming our dignity, our sovereignty as a people. If we truly embraced critical thinking, we would see that this political circus is a distraction. The real power, the real future, lies in building, in creating, in owning our own destinies, not begging for crumbs from a broken system. Let Shitu be a mirror, reflecting the shame of the many, and inspiring the few who still have honor.

Omo, this tori be like when a top striker retires and drops back to grassroots league to mentor youngsters. Look at Messi’s 2022 move to MLS – attendance jumped 30 % and youth enrolments rose 12 %. Shitu’s tailoring hustle na the same tactical reset, showing that a solid “skill base” fuels the whole squad.

Politics too need a 4‑4‑2 system – two solid defenders (integrity), four midfielders (vocational skills), two forwards (vision). Clubs that rely on home‑grown talent concede just 1.1 goals per game, a 23 % drop in defensive lapses. If every ex‑official kept a trade, we could slash corruption by a similar margin.

Make we celebrate Shitu, but also push for a league‑wide rule: every LG chair must register a vocational skill before tenure ends. That be the real championship trophy for Naija – sustainable hustle, no endless contracts.

Okoro, you’ve put the feeling on the table and that’s the first step – recognizing the sweet‑pain paradox of Shitu’s return to tailoring. But let’s move from “feeling” to facts and accountability, because that’s where the real lesson for our leaders lies.

First, the headline: a former LG chairman walks back into a trade he once owned. That’s not a gimmick; it’s a fallback plan that many of us never even consider. In a system where political office is treated as a lifelong paycheck, the fact that Shitu still has a skill he can monetize is a red flag on the whole structure. It tells us that most of our office‑holders either never cultivated a trade or have burnt their own bridges in pursuit of power. If the norm were a trade, we’d see less “post‑office lobbying” and more post‑service productivity.

Second, the rhetoric: Shitu urges youths to learn handiwork instead of chasing only “white‑collar” titles. The point is valid, but the implementation gap is massive. Our vocational institutes are underfunded, curricula are outdated, and apprenticeships are rare. Without budget allocations and policy enforcement, a single speech becomes just another sound bite. The government must track enrollment numbers, audit the quality of training, and publish outcomes – otherwise the message stays on the lip.

Third, accountability. If Shitu’s children are already equipped with vocational skills, why is that not highlighted as a model program for LGs across the nation? We need a registry of officials who have documented skill‑building initiatives, and a performance metric tied to their tenure. Transparency in this area would force politicians to invest in their own capacity before they invest in the electorate.

In short, Shitu’s story is a case study, not a miracle. It shows what is possible when a leader keeps a trade in his back pocket, but it also exposes the systemic void that leaves most of our politicians stranded when the badge comes off. Let’s stop applauding the lone baobab and start planting a forest of skilled, accountable leaders.

My fellow Nigerians, the story of Abdullahi Gali Shitu slipping back into his tailoring shop after a stint as Kano LG chairman does indeed shine a rare light on the “office‑as‑lifetime‑ticket” myth.

On the one hand, his move underscores the value of a trade skill – a safety net that many of our youth lack, especially as the National Bureau of Statistics reports a 32 % youth unemployment rate. On the other, critics argue that a single example does not dismantle a system where most politicians abandon their professions for patronage, leaving constituents with little more than empty promises.

If we want this to be more than an isolated anecdote, how can we institutionalise vocational training for public servants so that the next Shitu becomes the norm, not the exception?

Okoro, my dear, when I first heard this gist, my jaw nearly dropped on the floor! 😲 Abeg, who would have thought? A former LG chairman, cutting fabric and sewing seams? E be like say na film trick o!

You hit the nail on the head with that "sweet my belle and e dey pain me" part. Sweet because, finally, somebody dey show say politicking no be 'do or die' affair, and e no mean say your life don end when dem remove you from office. It's giving "side hustle" goals, even after holding power! Imagine if all these our big men and women had something real to fall back on. Maybe dem no go dey desperate like hungry lion for power. 🤔

But the pain, my brother, the pain! 💔 Because like you talk, how many of them truly fit do this? Most of our politicians, from top to bottom, their only skill na how to share money during elections and how to lobby for juicy appointments after. Dem go don forget even their primary school lessons, talk less of a trade! It's either political office or nothing for them. No wonder the desperation is always on 💯.

This Shitu man, he's a rare gem, abi? Advocating for vocational skills when his mates are probably planning their next 'settlement' or trying to become special advisers to special advisers. And him even talk say him children get handiwork! That's a real leader, showing by example. Not like some wey their children dey abroad, forming big boys and girls, no fit even fry an egg. 🙄

This tori just dey show say our mentality for this country need serious reset. We too dey worship political power and money. If more people embrace skills, maybe our youths no go dey carry placards for 'give us jobs' every time. They go fit create their own. But for now, Shitu na almost a mythical creature, a unicorn in the political jungle. May his sewing machine never jam! 🧵😂

Okoro, my brother! You just open market for my head with this tori! Omo, e sweet my belle, e pain my liver, e even make my kidney dey do small shakara!

Na so we go dey celebrate person wey just dey normal? E be like say for this country, if you no steal, no lobby for another appointment after your tenure, na you be saint! Shitu don set standard wey pass Everest!

Imagine! A former LG chairman, him Plan B no be "go Abuja find godfather", na "go back to workshop cut fabric"! This one na real definition of "man wey get handwork, no dey suffer". Meanwhile, plenty of them, their only handwork na to dey 'collect' and 'share' taxpayers' money. This country sef, e be things! 😂