[b]Former president Goodluck Jonathan may have left the presidency humiliated by the wrenching defeat he suffered at the hands of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March presidential poll, but he has not let the loss truncate his life nor stigmatise his future. He is now resolute more than ever, preferring to see the silver lining in the cloud than the black draping in the horizon. His image may have taken a horrible beating, with his presidency variously described as clueless or outrightly incompetent, however, now, his image is soaring, and he may even be nursing the hope he will have the last laugh on those who nurtured a career ridiculing him. He is now as a matter of fact feted by important groups and individuals in Africa and beyond; and if he continues this studious and diligent rehabilitation, and manages to set up a team of experts and advisers to equip him mentally, coupled with his gentle disposition and meek accessibility, his beatification may take on added momentum.

Fresh from his tour of duty in Tanzania as head of the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG), where he monitored the October 25 election that ended quite well, Dr Jonathan has again been appointed by the same Commonwealth to mediate the stalemate in Zanzibar consequent upon the last disputed polls in that small island nation. The former Nigerian president seems to relish the roles he has begun to play continentally and globally. He deserves his chance in the sun. After having conceded defeat in the last Nigerian election and relinquished office when every political pundit predicted doom and anarchy, his stock began to rise steadily and even furiously. It is in his power to let that stock remain bullish, if he can sustain his stamina and summon the ingenuity.

But just when it seemed his acclaim could not transcend the continental level, the United States Presidential Precinct, Charlottesville, Virginia, a consortium uniting six American landmark institutions – four of America’s most important historic sites and two of that country’s most outstanding public universities, is hosting him for the role he played in fostering Nigeria’s democracy. Other strategic pro-democracy institutions in the United States will also be hosting him. So far, in the visit, Dr Jonathan has spoken well and shared important lessons from Nigeria’s electoral experience. He will not need to preach to the converted, for, apparently, the world appreciates the role he played in that election more than Nigerians have.

In the coming months, Dr Jonathan will be busy. The feting will of course stop or peter out. But global assignments will beckon to him much more than they will beckon to any other Nigerian leader, including ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo. Partly because of the recency of the last polls, the world remembers fondly the role Dr Jonathan played; but despite the passage of time, since 2007 in fact, the world has not forgotten the obnoxious part Chief Obasanjo played in unconstitutionally foisting a bad government on Nigeria. Consequently, Dr Jonathan will be celebrated, invited and consulted. The world will ignore analyses of the fortuitousness of that celebrated concession of defeat, or of the desperate and half-hearted ploys by Dr Jonathan’s diehards to thwart the outcome of the polls. The safe and sweet conclusion of the presidential poll in particular weighs heavily on the minds of world leaders relieved that Nigeria was kept safe and stable by one simple, noble and overarching act.

Notwithstanding the accolades he is receiving globally, it is also perhaps time for Dr Jonathan to reflect on his life and presidency. His beatification may be deserved, but if he is not careful, it could also turn premature or short-lived. Surely, his time in office cannot be defined by just one act of concession of defeat— desperate, coerced or willing. His economic policies were a veritable and festering shambles, and like his predecessors, he had no social or political policies, nothing substantial by way of affecting future generations, in attitudes, beliefs and ideologies. He was unable to think on his feet, and lacking discipline of the most ennobling sort, he transferred that obnoxiousness to his aides and acolytes who simply went ahead to feather their nests. These things call for his reflections, and should sober whatever recognition he may receive continentally or globally.

However, nothing should take away from the modest fame he is beginning to acquire. More than any other Nigerian leader, he deserves it. Let him revel in it. And let him travel and discourse, despite his elocutionary limitations, on Africa’s democratic struggles with the world’s best and brightest.[/b]

http://thenationonlineng.net/beatification-of-goodluck-jonathan/

Former president Goodluck Jonathan may have left the presidency humiliated by the wrenching defeat he suffered at the hands of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March presidential poll, but he has not let the loss truncate his life nor stigmatise his future. He is now resolute more than ever, preferring to see the silver lining in the cloud than the black draping in the horizon. His image may have taken a horrible beating, with his presidency variously described as clueless or outrightly incompetent, however, now, his image is soaring, and he may even be nursing the hope he will have the last laugh on those who nurtured a career ridiculing him. He is now as a matter of fact feted by important groups and individuals in Africa and beyond; and if he continues this studious and diligent rehabilitation, and manages to set up a team of experts and advisers to equip him mentally, coupled with his gentle disposition and meek accessibility, his beatification may take on added momentum.

Ordinarily, the Jonathan I know will not really border with this cosmetic approach to statesmanship. Left alone, he would rather drift into a life of simplistic existence by the countryside. But then, he is our former president and must not be allowed to drift into an isolated life with its consequent depression.

Notwithstanding the accolades he is receiving globally, it is also perhaps time for Dr Jonathan to reflect on his life and presidency. His beatification may be deserved, but if he is not careful, it could also turn premature or short-lived. Surely, his time in office cannot be defined by just one act of concession of defeat— desperate, coerced or willing. His economic policies were a veritable and festering shambles, and like his predecessors, he had no social or political policies, nothing substantial by way of affecting future generations, in attitudes, beliefs and ideologies. He was unable to think on his feet, and lacking discipline of the most ennobling sort, he transferred that obnoxiousness to his aides and acolytes who simply went ahead to feather their nests. These things call for his reflections, and should sober whatever recognition he may receive continentally or globally.

The aforementioned shortcomings are enough to have his name in the black book of Nigerian history but then Nigerians are very forgiving in nature. He has been forgiven. Let us hope those involved in this re-branding project are sincere and trustworthy. And I hope GEJ must have learnt how to sniff out characters like FFK from afar. He cannot afford to be made a fool a second time.

.

He can have and enjoy everything in the worl as long as he no longer occupies ASO Villa. Ditto that English woman of his

Good reputation and sheer determination amidst destructive criticisms. The truth cannot be buried.

amnesty7:
He can have and enjoy everything in the worl as long as he no longer occupies ASO Villa. Ditto that English woman of his

English woman again? Haba! I thought he has only Mama Peace.

Re-branding in motion

http://thenationonlineng.net/beatification-of-goodluck-jonathan/

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ZeezaRapture:




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You seriously need immediate confinement and restrain before you do serious harm to yourself.

GEJ-Best President Nigeria ever had!

jonathan making the south wasterners and the suffersticated slaves uncomfortable since time imoriver.
Who God bless no tinubu or suffersticated slavemen of the Fulani dynasty can curse.
Take that to d banks!

eyesofgod:


You seriously need immediate confinement and restrain before you do serious harm to yourself.

Clap for yourself. You have won an award for the most foolish comment of the day

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Beautification of a Mumu.

Even though Omatseye wanted to write something praiseworthy of the ex president, shame and disgrace still made him paint the President black with lies of the inefficiency of the past administration's social and economical programmes. The past administration had its faults, true, but economic failure was not one of them.

Trying to exalt someone but yet spreading lies about him!

They just can't help it... They can't risk saying the truth seeing Their Oga is a known Lying Liar!

The Nation? WTF? Who but the perverts on NL take them seriously?

maupe:
Even though Omatseye wanted to write something praiseworthy of the ex president, shame and disgrace still made him paint the President black with lies of the inefficiency of the past administration's social and economical programmes. The past administration had its faults, true, but economic failure was not one of them.

You can be forgiven for other inaccuracies but not the highlighted. I hope you know we are talking about Nigeria and not Niger republic. The hallmark of the economic mishap in GEJ regime was the borrowing of about N400b to pay salaries while swimming in 'opulence'. How can you explain that?

ZeezaRapture:


Clap for yourself. You have won an award for the most foolish comment of the day

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Ok
Hope your perception of GEJ wasn't mortally injured?

you are desperate, I understand. keep worshipping your god. most Nigerians know him for what he is, a crook and a weakling who was voted out of office for his corrupt tendencies and cluelessness.

we also know that he made a deal to peacefully relinquish power after defeat only if he wasn't probed.

the man remains the worst president Nigeria ever had.

his achievements? ruining the economy of Nigeria and collapsing the PDP.

eyesofgod:


You can be forgiven for other inaccuracies but not the highlighted. I hope you know we are talking about Nigeria and not Niger republic. The hallmark of the economic mishap in GEJ regime was the borrowing of about N400b to pay salaries while swimming in 'opulence'. How can you explain that?

Debt does not necessarily connote failure. Even the almighty Chinese suffered a lull in their economic growth, and were forced to increase their interest rates. Everyone was hit by the global economic meltdown, including us. Am afraid, you are the one reading from the wrong text.

It must have been a herculean task writing this article. To put down a sentence on one quality of GEJ, a thousand failings and weaknesses will forcefully compete for attention.

maupe:

Debt does not necessarily connote failure. Even the almighty Chinese suffered a lull in their economic growth, and were forced to increase their interest rates. Everyone was hit by the global economic meltdown, including us. Am afraid, you are the one reading from the wrong text.

Ok. So according to you, borrowing to pay salaries is a normal thing, especially, when one cannot lay hands on any emergent reason for it.
With the benefit of hindsight, we now blame the global economic meltdown for our misfortune but, funny enough, when the series was playing out, our voodoo managers of the economy in GEJ cabinet stood atop Aso rock and proclaimed that our economy was immune to the recession.