Why my governance style is different, by Jonathan

Posted by admin Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Presidency Monday, September 26th, 2011

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday clarified his style of governance and why he may not meet the expectations of his critics who want a different approach.

The president who assured that the country was on course and asked for more prayers said that his style of governance was informed by the consciousness that there is a divine intervention in the affairs of the nation.

Thus for him, he would neither act with the aggressiveness of a military general nor deploy the cruelty of a Nebuchadnezzar to bring development to the country.

President Jonathan, who spoke at the inter-denominational serve to mark Nigeria’s 51 independence anniversary at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, said that he may not act the way some Nigerians expect, “but I can change this country.”

Jonathan regretted that while Nigeria gets accolades abroad for the progress the nation is making towards its destiny, back home in the country, “we are being abused. We are not appreciated.”

The President said: “I can assure you that Nigeria is on course. And with your prayers and the guidance of God, we will surely get to the destination of where we are going. It is not going to be easy because there are very, very terrible Goliaths everywhere. There are Goliaths that can easily kill their mothers and fathers and even some of their children. And to stop government, they are willing to do it. These terrible Goliaths would want to frustrate us. But, surely, with God, we will conquer them. Every Goliath has an exposed forehead. All the Goliaths that are stumbling blocks to the development and growth of this country, God will expose their heads for the stone of David.”

Jonathan stated his initial hesitation to speak at the church service, but stated that “I realised that one thing I owe the Christian congregation is to thank you. So, any opportunity that I have, I exploit it maximally, at least, to thank you for your prayers. You’ve been praying for us and my request is for you to continue to pray for the government. You have been praying for us but others are praying that we shouldn’t move an inch, especially those of us who are politicians.

“But one thing I will continue to request is more prayers. This is because if you listen to Nigerians and their statements, some Nigerians will want the President of this country to be a lion or a tiger, someone with that kind of strength and force and agility to make things happen the way they think. Some others will want the President to operate like a military general, like the chief of army staff commanding the troops. Incidentally, I am not a lion, neither am I also a general. Some people will like the President to operate like a Biblical king, the all-powerful person. They want the President to operate that way, to have the character of a Goliath. Unfortunately, I am not one of those.

“But God knows why I am here as the President even though I don’t have any of these attributes or characters. But through your prayers, God placed me here. The only thing I ask you to do for me, and that is the prayers I pray every day, is for God to use me to change this country. I don’t need to be a lion. I don’t need to be Nebuchadnezzar. I don’t need to operate like the pharaohs of Egypt. I don’t need to be a military general. But I can change this country without those traits.

“Some time ago, I read in one of the newspapers that for you to be an intellectual and for people to listen to you, you have to abuse government. Some people were saying; is Nigeria on auto-pilot? And I say yes. Nigeria is being piloted by God himself. There is no pilot, no matter the number of hours he has to his credit flying an aircraft that can take an airline to a destination if God wants to stop it half way. God is in charge and God will take us to the destination he has for us. It is not going to be easy but God using you and us; we will go to where we want to go.

“I just came back from the United States (U.S.). The President of America is like the President of the world, he is the leader of the most powerful country. In most cases when you go for the UN General Assembly, if you are to speak after the President of America has spoken, then you are in trouble. Immediately the President of America speaks, about two thirds of the hall will leave because everybody wants to listen to the President of America. President Barack Obama, when he spoke, commended Nigeria. But back home here, we are being abused. When we had the UN Security Council meeting, the Secretary General, when he spoke, commended Nigeria. But here, we are being abused. When the Presidents of South Africa and Gabon spoke, they commended Nigeria. But here, we are not appreciated.”

Speaking in a sermon, the President of the Evangelical Theological Seminary, Rev. Yusuf Turaki attributed the slow pace of development in the country to people’s lack of dependence on God.

He said: “The present condition of the nation shows that we have not been building the nation with God rather we are focused on our own gods, we have created for ourselves monsters that ruin our lives, as a result we have entered the 51st year of the country’s independence anniversary with doom and hopelessness.”

-Guardianwp_posts