I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan
When I Think Of Troubled Neighbouring Nations
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the former President of Nigeria between 2009 and 2015, has expressed his worries for Nigeria considering the incessant rise in number of coups in the sister countries.
He noted that many African nations’ conflicts today stemmed from struggle for power and bad governance.
The former president pointed that little or nothing at all induced technology can do to right the wrongs in the Nigeria’s electoral processes if it is placed in corrupt human hands. I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan
This assertion was made, on Tuesday, at a programme hosted by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and partners in remembrance of the International Day of Peace in Abuja. I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan
Dr. Jonathan, who was also honoured, became the second to be recognised after Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), former Military Head of States, who was given the award last year for reinstating peace and harmony in the country after the Civil War which almost disintegrated the country.
In his speech at the event, the former President said: “Actually, 10 top countries are in conflict globally. Three of them are in sub-Saharan Africa. And quite a number of countries around us, including us, are in one form of conflict or the other.
“And when you look at what causes conflict in Africa, most cases is struggle for leadership, contestation for power. And that is the main cause of conflict.
“Sometimes when you go through a society, and you can tell all kinds of stories. But by the time you do proper analysis, and dig deep, you know that most causes of conflict is leadership struggle. That is why I’m only worried about my country Nigeria.” I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was the chairman of the programme, indicated that the widespread sentiment that “Politics is dirty” is wrong by stressing that Politics is dirty a bad affair but the players involved are to be held responsible for the “dirty State” of politics in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
He said: “People say politics is a dirty game. The way we play our politics is the way we want to play it.
“Remember (Olusegun) Obasanjo, the former president, recently made a statement that politics is not dirty but the people that play the politics, come to play politics with their dirty minds and dirty hearts. And dirty character.
“And that is why people say politics is dirty. And in that case, we must all begin to think differently. We must cultivate the culture of peace,” he added. I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan
He tasked Nigerians and Africans to embrace peace and nurture it as their culture which must be daily practised and inherent in their attitudes.
“Until we get to that level where we develop the culture of peace in this country, we will always have political conflicts in our election.
“And without us strengthening that effort, without us developing that culture of testing a nation peacefully, we will always be in conflict in Africa and in Nigeria.”
Jonathan, who is widely regarded and known for fostering peace by peacefully transitioning power to an opposition party in 2015 after being defeated in an election characterised by wanton electoral malpractices and under-age voting.
Making reference to just conducted Edo State governorship election, he pointed that fiercer tension emanated after the election than the periods leading to it due to ill feelings the process was made to favour one candidate over others.
He cited that deployment of technology will not solve the issues in Nigeria’s electoral process if placed in corrupt human hands because technology can be easily manipulated. It is operated by humans.
“Here in Nigeria, we talk about technology. Without the human mind ready to do what is right, if we bring the technology, they will manipulate it,” he stated.
Also in attendance was Dr. Samuel Iroye, the Head of Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, the National Open University of Nigeria, disclosed, while speaking, that every Nigerian has a role to play in promoting culture of peace in the country.
Dr. Iroye, stated that peace should not be a philosophy but a practical initiative that could be used deployed to lure the youths to engage in developmental processes of the country. I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan
He indicated that if peace must be achieved, level playing ground must be made available for everyone through education. Stating that the Nigeria’s education curriculum does not promote and encourage the culture of peace.
“To ensure a culture of peace, we must ensure that we have peace within ourselves, ‘no one could give what he doesn’t have,’” he said.
Initially, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, the Director General of IPCR, described peace as an ‘orphan.’ Stating that everyone wants to enjoy it but does not want to invest in it.
He bemoaned the level of violence and instability across the world, and tasked Nigerians to start investing in peace and develop its culture before it is too late.
While defending the choice of the former President Goodluck Jonathan for the award, Ochogwu said the award was given him because of his ideology for embracing peace over personal consideration, citing the former President’s statement that “nobody’s life is worth sacrificing for any personal political interest.”
I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan I Worry For Nigeria – Jonathan