Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema was born on September 22, 1957 in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State. He began his primary education at Nasarawa Primary School in 1964 and subsequently proceeded to Government Secondary School, Kafanchan where he obtained his West African School Certificate in 1976. He attended the College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria from where he proceeded to the Ahmadu Bello University from 1980 to 1983 and obtained his Bachelors of Law degree. He further proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos in 1983 and was called to the bar in 1984.
He served as the Chief Legal Executive to the National Fertilizer Company, NAFCON, and became a Principal Partner in Shema, Oscar and Company Legal Practitioners in Lagos. He was Managing Director of Tools Manufacturing Company Limited and Solidarity Holding Limited. While serving as the Principal in Shema S. Ibrahim and Company Legal Practitioners in Kaduna, he found time to obtain his Masters of Business Administration and Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy in 1999 from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Having established himself in leadership positions in the business and legal world, he turned his attention to Public Service. In 1999, he was appointed Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Katsina State. Soon after, he was appointed to a position as member of the Peoples Democratic Party Special Committee on the Anambra Crisis. He also participated in the Katsina State National Political Reform Conference.
He rose within the Peoples Democratic Party, becoming National Vice Chairman (North) of the Party and Chairman of the Party’s National Disciplinary Committee. 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. With this broad based background in Business, Law and Public Service, Governor Shema decided to run for Governor of Katsina State in 2007 under the Peoples Democratic Party banner. Since his election, he has made great strides in the development of Katsina in all spheres of human development, particularly in Education, Food Security, Wealth Creation, Infrastructural Development, Health, Water Supply, Works, Housing and Transportation. His Excellency, Governor Shema was re-elected for a second term in office and was sworn in May 29th, 2011.
Dr. 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). His
His Excellency was installed the Sarkin Yakin Kasar Hausa by the Daura Emirate council in July, 2010, and holds other prestigious traditional titles, including Sarkin Fulanin Katsina and Ojah Atta of Igala land, and most recently Lamido Fulde Gusau.
Dr. 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).
He has several memberships of professional associations including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), American Bar Association (ABA), Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Management (Fnim); member, Institute of Corporate Executive of Nigeria (ICEN) and Victor Folsom Fellow for Africa (Center for America and International Law). He was recently awarded a merit award by the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), in recognition of his administration’s commitment to fisheries development. Dr Shema is a recipient of the highly reputed Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). He is happily married and blessed with children.
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