Jonathan's Three Noble Actions

31 March 2011

So much has been said or written about the temper of President Goodluck Jonathan and how this has impacted on the leadership provided by his government.

To his most considerate critics, he probably would have been a better leader if he had emerged under a political party other than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His admirers however contain that even in the tension soaked political atmosphere, Jonathan has demonstrated that if given a chance, he would successfully lead Nigeria to increased political and economic advancement.

I share this later view, considering some of the things I recently discovered about his person and in particular, because of the way Jonathan conducted his presidential campaigns. Permit me to argue that he may have won the record of the most civil sitting president in Nigeria, especially during the usually volatile period of electioneering campaigns. Even if you disagree with this argument, you may not honestly deny the fact that his language and personal conduct as he campaigned for re-election are far better than that of other presidents that have traveled this route before him.

When critics attempt this kind of assessment, the tendency is to tender endless proofs to support their pre-concluded positions. While not disregarding other views that may be canvassed, either for or against him, I so sincerely appreciate some three noble actions which I think have placed Jonathan above most of the presidents before him.

The first is that he is unarguably humble and ordinary, almost to a fault.

Some critics have pointed out that these are signs of weakness. I almost thought so also, especially at the very beginning, when as Vice President, later Acting President, he seemed rather slow in the handling of the intricate political situation of the time.

Then, because of sheer impatience or unwillingness to accept sudden change of approach, many of us out-rightly dismissed him, alleging that he was not mature enough to lead Nigeria. We said he was jittery and shy to assert himself and to take decisive actions when necessary. That was why many wondered if such a president could lead a sensitive and fragile nation like Nigeria at this point of her history.

But since he became president and as a reporter, I decided to observe his moves vis-à-vis his temperament more painstakingly, it has dawned on me that everybody's style and pace must not necessarily be the same. I have also come to suspect that most of the bitterest critics of Jonathan, especially those who hinge their complaints on his alleged ordinariness, have been committing the blunder of comparing his temper with that of the long list of military heads of state and presidents before him. Without realizing the full implications of their demands, the critics seemed to be complaining that Jonathan has not been as autocratic, firm and dictatorial as the military and retired military leaders before him.

The genesis of this unfortunate perspective is understandably traced to the regrettable history of long military dictatorship, a reality that has conditioned most Nigerians to unconsciously admire the culture of brazenness and military fiat. It would only take an objective study of Jonathan's style of leadership to truly understand and appreciate what I consider his deliberate rejection of that despicable culture.

Though I may not, on the account of this point and for some other reasons I would still adduce in this piece, conclusively say Goodluck Jonathan has become perfect, I think there are some basic truths to his campaign claims that he represents fresh breath in Nigerian political landscape. He does, no matter how you look at it.

He may be criticized or even condemned in some respects, but we can not deny that he has, to a very large extent, demystified the office of Mr. President. He has, by what some critics, like you and I, have dubbed ordinariness and common mistakes, further humanized that high office in Nigeria.

Since I adopted a more patient approach in the study of Jonathan's styles, I have come to appreciate his personality better. It has, for example, dawned on me that he has a style, which if tolerated by a greater majority of Nigerians, would help to deepen our democracy. Yes! Enduring democracy can only be built on mutual respect for one another, anchored on civil resolution of issues not by jet pace fiat. Such a civil approach, needless to add, will obviously take time though opportunists may try to make spurious claims against the user.

Notwithstanding claims to the contrary, I dare say Jonathan has scored a strong point by striving to show Nigerians that even as the Executive President of Nigeria, the giant of Africa, he remains a humble citizen that can chat with school boys and girls on Facebook.

He blazed this new trail of campaign in Nigeria since the second half of 2010, when his use of the social media to broaden his interaction with youths and the international community became public knowledge.

The innovation of interacting directly with common citizens, anchored by Goodluck Jonathan Global Campaign Team (GJGCT), may be considered very ordinary and of little consequence in some quarters, but, to many citizens, who have used the social network to directly put across their views and suggestions to the Presidency, there seems to be no better way of demonstrating an admission that Mr. President remains one of the people.

All over the world, concerted efforts are currently being made by governments to reduce the frightening gulf that hitherto separated rulers from the common people. It is good that Jonathan saw the need to join this internationally approved trend.

Even in Nigeria, where some have come to believe so inflexibly that power must intoxicate, Jonathan seems to be saying that Mr. President, in a civil and modern Nigeria, can no longer continue to pretend to be anything more than human.

This humble posture makes sense to me because even the President of the United States of America and that of today's China are still mere human beings? Powerful as they are, they still answer calls of nature, I guess.

The second noble action of Jonathan that, in my view, deserves commendation is his public declaration that politics should not be a 'do or die affair. Shortly after the Port-Harcourt presidential rally tragedy, he courageously said in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State that no one person's personal ambition was worth another person's blood.

If it were a few years back, when the President was expected to talk tough always, he would be condemned for sounding so 'un-presidential.' In fact, he would have been charged for anti-party utterances.

I dare say that under Jonathan, there are some fundamental changes which many of us may not accept immediately. I, for example, believe that this simple statement contains an ideology we should build upon to change Nigerian political culture for good.

I say so because I hold the view that avoidable violence and senseless bloodletting, sponsored by desperate politicians, are two twin demons that have been nurtured by a warped philosophy which contended that survival is only possible when we 'bulldoze and kill off all our opponents.' I have so passionately held this philosophy partly responsible for our socio-political and economic stagnation. So, I accept the view that a president, like Jonathan, who openly acknowledges that his ambition to be re-elected into office is not worth the blood of a single Area-Boy in Oshodi, Lagos, is bringing the kind of vision, the kind of message and the kind of ideal we have been lacking for decades.

Jonathan also demonstrated his willingness to act in accordance with this ideal when he recently suspended his campaign director, Mr. Omeri, for employing foul language against his political opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). This, in my view, is the third noble action that will certainly endear Jonathan amongst well-thinking Nigerians.

So, before we queue for the decisive presidential and governorship elections, my advice is that other candidates should emulate Jonathan and clearly advise their thugs not to shed human blood in a bid to help their ambitions. They should also call on their aides and loquacious associates not to employ abusive languages while referring to their political opponents or to any other perceived enemy. This is the way to peace and national development.

Please, don't bother to make the argument that Mr. President may have merely made these noble utterances without concretely carrying them out himself. The truth is that the required change of attitude in the country and the resultant socio-political development must begin with this kind of noble messages from Jonathan.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201103311004.html

I know it is a long article, but it is well worth the read. Enjoy GEJ supporters and detractors.

I enjoyed the article indeed. Jonathan is one man that has impacted my outlook on life with his calmness, wisdom and tact. The days of the Yar Adua saga saw me watching in awe at just how powerful and effective these simple tools could be against raging wolves and demons in human skins.

GEJ has a lot to offer Nigeria; he is the right tonic to reclaim the Nigerian psyche from years of abuse by military jackboots.

Go GEJ!

@Beaf
Great campaign note! Now move along. Let those who are actually interested in the choices before us comment

OK. I believe GEJ is likely to do a better job than Buhari, but Ribadu would outperform both of them. The reason is simple. The presidency is never in the domain of one man, but a group of people. President GEJ is in the middle of a lot of bad (bad for Nigeria that is) folks aka PDP. Buhari's real records are nothing to write home about either, and his government is likely to be captured by the Abacha group. Your attempt to separate President GEJ from PDP is unrealistic. There is no such thing - he is PDP and PDP is him.

APGA in the SE is about to act in Part II of the OBJ sucker punch of AD in the SW in 2003 .

Beaf:

I enjoyed the article indeed. Jonathan is one man that has impacted my outlook on life with his calmness, wisdom and tact. The days of the Yar Adua saga saw me watching in awe at just how powerful and effective these simple tools could be against raging wolves and demons in human skins.

GEJ has a lot to offer Nigeria; he is the right tonic to reclaim the Nigerian psyche from years of abuse by military jackboots.

Go GEJ!

koruji:

@Beaf
Great campaign note! Now move along. Let those who are actually interested in the choices before us comment

OK. I believe GEJ is likely to do a better job than Buhari, but Ribadu would outperform both of them. The reason is simple. The presidency is never in the domain of one man, but a group of people. President GEJ is in the middle of a lot of bad (bad for Nigeria that is) folks aka PDP. Buhari's real records are nothing to write home about either, and his government is likely to be captured by the Abacha group. Your attempt to separate President GEJ from PDP is unrealistic. There is no such thing - he is PDP and PDP is him.

APGA in the SE is about to act in Part II of the OBJ sucker punch of AD in the SW in 2003 .

Oga mi, don't be deceived by high level political shenanigans and dribbling moves. Your analysis is couldn't be further from the truth, but that is the aim of the players. As for the bolded, its actually ACN and the SW that are about to be sucker punched. I'll explain.

What do you make of Babangida's very curious endorsement of Ribadu? More on that in a mo!
There have always been only two forces in Nigerian politics since the Yar Adua saga; those against zoning and those for zoning; both these power blocks originated from the PDP. All other parties have largely become puns and bit players (knowingly or otherwise).

The principal actors on the pro-zoning side are Atiku and IBB. Their strengths? Atiku controls Ciroma's NPLF, IBB controls ACF and the Northern Stakeholders.
While other less visible pro-zoning PDP members and ALL members of the cabal (Turai, Ruma, Aliero etc etc) have decamped from PDP to CPC, the likes of Atiku and IBB have stayed behind, ostensibly to have an ear to the ground. However, both mens supporters and machinery has since moved into CPC.
The groundswell for CPC has little to do with Buhari whose party has been stealthily hijacked. It has become the devils party, the cabals new home.

In my reading, the next piece of the jigsaw is to rid CPC off Buhari and his rigid style. To that end, the Northern consensus candidate nonsense has been reborn, but this time, as an anti-PDP animal. After this weekends election, we will see strengthened calls for the consensus candidate. In the faced paced realignments, it would also become plain to the discerning, that Tinubu has sold the SW to the devil. I am 70% sure that the move that started with Babangida's dinner and ringing endorsement of Ribadu, will end with the sidelining of Buhari and mass movement of its machinery to ACN. That, my brother, is the real sucker punch; being sold to MKO's killers for a nickle and a dime.

. . .I should really start a topic with this!

Jonathan acts like a scicilian Mafiosi boss, say little openly, do much covertly that is how he won d primaries. There are weak points in BB's campaign, a good opportunitist like Jonathan would exploit it to it's maximum levels. Team BB should be working round d clock to close down this weak points.

KnowAll:

Jonathan acts like a scicilian Mafiosi boss, say little openly, do much covertly that is how he won d primaries. There are weak points in BB's campaign, a good opportunitist like Jonathan would exploit it to it's maximum levels. Team BB should be working round d clock to close down this weak points.

Buhari's failure is do to many of his recent actions,but not limited to. His approach to presidency is no different that his last. Another failure is, his blunders during the debate, especially his slip up when it came to promising to prosecute the elites of former corrupt administrations.

This article contains some of the reasons why I decided to vote for GEJ. Every Nigerian agrees PDP has not given us their best. But I had to stop and think for a while and I discovered that PDP is at the brink of a breakthrough. It is unfortunate that some people have lost faith because of the difficulties they face. This may also be the reason why they cannot see the signs of new things.

GEJ has a very strong team manning various aspects of the government. I watched Deziani Madueke on NTA and I was surprised to hear all the things happening underground. I even got more inspiration when I watched Sanusi on BBC talking about how the government is out to crush the "cabal" standing in the way of the development of our power sector. One of the things that changed the game for me was my own personal experience. I work on certain projects that have to do with power generation and I couldn't believe the amount of efforts that have gone into getting Nigerians from darkness to light! When the projects hit the grid, we will be astonished at the rate things will grow. The start may be very difficult but when we get it right, we are set for wonders.

GEJ is one of the very few leaders on earth who has actually made  a serious effort to connect with Nigerians. The facebook idea may seem like nothing to many people, but it is a giant leap in the right direction.

Thank God for GEJ.

I forgive PDP of her sins because of GEJ.

If given the chance, I believe that 4 years of GEJ will pay for the ills of PDP.

Vote GEJ.

Nigerians have not forgotten GEJ and his numerous noble gaffes!

A GEJ who plays tribal and ethnic politics

A GEJ who comes to the SW and calls his political opponents Rascals, and totally refused to apologize for it.

A GEJ who rather than act as the custodian of security of lives tells Nigerians to pray that those responsible for the Oct 1. 2010 would come out and confess.

A GEJ who would not rather come out and debate, but panders to the likes of D-Banj to debate with him.

A GEJ whom sources tells us drinks alcohol excessively.

A GEJ who sits in the FEC every Tuesday but yet, cannot tell vital statistics when needed but refers us to his Ministers.

A GEJ who sends his owns Ministers and wife to welcome an Ex-convict from Kirikiri maximum prison.

A GEJ who depleted our ECA.

A GEJ who was nowhere to be found when this nation was desperately in need of a President when Yar'Adua went missing.

A GEJ who flew another convict from jail in presidential aircraft to PDP election grounds.

A GEJ who is fond of dashing his visitors $50,000US upon every visit.

How long must we continue to tolerate this man and his many clueless gaffes?!

Enough is ENOUGH!

THE ONLY CONSTANT THING IS CHANGE!

Buhari/Bakare 2011!!!!

And much more importantly,

This man's commitment to free and fair elections knowing fully well that he might loose is one of the greatest fit he has shown. This is the very first time in a long time, we are seeing such.

Mr President is a leader. I just hope and wish that Nigerians especially the younger generations do not waste their vote. This is our time to redeeem Nigeria.

Buhari belongs to the gang of military elites who held this country to ransom from the days of independence until now. A silent revolution has taken place and we must join hands together to protect it.

Humble and ordinary my foot!! - If you live in Lagos then you will know the traffic havoc we experience whenever he comes around. Whereas a Fashola who lives with us will pass by your side without you even noticing.

No blood is worth his re-election truly and he has turned blind eye to the numerous political killings!!

A wa o ko yen je sir.