Nigerians ask Jonathan to stop celebrations

Posted by admin Latest Politics Sunday, March 2nd, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan

Following recent killings by the Boko Haram sect, some Nigerians have, via online media, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to discontinue the ongoing centenary celebrations.

Nigeria is currently celebrating 100 years of the amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorates by Lord Frederick Lugard in 1914.

On Thursday, a petition was published on a website, www.change.org, which provided users with free online petitions, urging concerned Nigerians to pay respect to the children killed in the recent Boko Haram attacks by condemning the celebrations.

The petition reads, “A few weeks ago, about 20 girls were taken by Boko Haram. This week, about 40 children were killed in their school by the same Boko Haram. But just a day later, the President felt that the centenary celebrations were more important than the lives of those kids, who had died as a result of his failure in handling security.

“If the President thinks there is something to party about, we, the citizens of Nigeria, have yet to see it. We want to grieve. We want to shed tears. We want to remember the lives of the children that were lost. We want to let the parents of those who lost their kids know that they are not alone.

“We don’t want to party, there is nothing worth celebrating. So, we call on the government to put a stop to this shameless excuse of a party and let us deal with the issues that really matter, and that is the security of our people.”

The petition ended with a direct address to Jonathan, which simply said, “Call off the centenary celebrations.”

One of those, who commented on the webpage, Ola Johnson, said, “You can’t be celebrating deaths and suffering of young innocent children, and insecurity in the nation.”

Abraham Adewole wrote, “Centenary celebrations can’t be more important than human lives.”

Jennifer Pearse agreed with the petition and wrote, “Honest.”

Oluwole Adenimiran also expressed disapproval, stressing the need to show regard for the “sanctity of human life.”

At the time this report was submitted, 20 persons had signed the petition.

-Punchwp_posts