Nigeria's former President, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR,
BNER, GCON was born in Otueke 58 years ago in a predominantly fishing
community, presently in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State. On that fateful
Wednesday of November 20, 1957, baby Jonathan was born into the family
of Lawrence Jonathan. His mother is Mrs Eunice.
Jonathan holds a B.Sc. degree in Zoology in which he attained
Second Class Honours. He holds an M.Sc. degree in Hydrobiology and
Fisheries biology, and a PhD degree in Zoology from the University of
Port Harcourt, which he did not finish according to Olusegun Obasanjo.
Before he entered politics in 1998, he worked as an education inspector, lecturer, and environmental-protection officer.
Jonathan and his wife Patience have two children. He is a Christian, and he comes from the Ijaw ethnic group.
Rising from what he has always described as a journey from 'grass to grace,'
the son of canoe makers, rose from a Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State
to becoming Nigeria’s President, the highest office in the country. He
served as Vice-President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010 and as Governor of
Bayelsa State from 2005 to 2007.
In 2007, President Jonathan declared his assets worth a total of
N295,304,420 Naira ($1,845,652 USD). However, on 9 October 2014, the
richestlifestyle.com website ranked Jonathan 6th on its list, claiming
his net worth was about $100m (£62m).
He contested and lost the 2015 presidential election, upon which he
conceded defeat and became the first sitting Nigerian president to do
so.
Jonathan's term as President of Nigeria started on 5th May 2010 and
ended on 29th May 2015, when he handed over to his successor, Muhammadu
Buhari
Against this backdrop, 46 quotable quotes of Ex-President Jonathan has been captured as he clocks 58. Read below;
Quote 1
The stronger the boat of (democracy), the more it is able to meet
the challenges of its voyage and deliver on its promise to citizens.
Quote 2
The air of freedom we breathe today is the result of the sacrifices
of thousands of pro-democracy activists, human rights campaigners and
others who organised as civil society.
Quote 3
My political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.
Quote 4
In the comfort of our offices, let us not forget that majority of our people live below the poverty line.
Quote 5
Any society or country that closes the vital valves of its democratic space cannot develop at a reasonable pace
Quote 6
Democracy is a journey that every nation mindful of advancing the liberty of its citizens must undertake.
Quote 7
Nobody should rig for me. I am assuring Nigerians that though I am
contesting, nobody must manipulate votes in my favour. Our votes must
count.
Quote 8
I congratulate the candidates of the other political parties. I regard them not as opponents but as partners.
Quote 9
In presenting myself for service, I make no pretense that I have a
magic wand that will solve all of Nigeria’s problems or that I am the
most intelligent Nigerian.
Quote 10
I have come to launch a campaign of ideas, not one of calumny. I
have come to preach love, not hate. I have come to break you away from
divisive tendencies of the past which have slowed our drive to true
nationhood. I have no enemies to fight. You are all my friends and we
share a common destiny.
Quote 11
Democracy calls for sacrifice and tolerance an open ear and a strong voice.
Quote 12
I believe in the politics of give and take.
Quote 13
Separation of power is not separation of government.
Quote 14
Our unity is firm, our purpose strong, our determination unshakable.
Quote 15
Being a Nigerian is a blessing (and) a great responsibility.
Quote 16
Our founding fathers… did not dream of a country where neighbours and friends would exchange bullets in place of handshakes.
Quote 17
I prefer to see the silver lining in the dark cloud rather than the dark cloud in the silver lining.
Quote 18
We may not have overcome our challenges, but neither have our challenges overcome us.
Quote 19
We are not sworn enemies… We are neighbours who sometimes offend
each other, but can always sit down to talk over our differences.
Quote 20
Over-dependence on oil has put an unpleasant bracket in our national economic freedom.
Quote 21
Economic diplomacy does not need to be a zero-sum game where the
gain of partner automatically translates to the loss of the other.
Quote 22
Peace and security are the barest irreducible conditions for social and economic development.
Quote 23
I am loyal to Nigeria’s economy. I don’t have accounts or property abroad. All my children live and school in Nigeria.
Quote 24
Cynicism and scepticism will not help our journey to greatness. Let us all believe in a new Nigeria.
Quote 25
The goal of achieving positive macroeconomic stability is no end in itself.
Quote 26
I have no intention to inflict pain on Nigerians. To save Nigeria, we must all be prepared to make sacrifices.
Quote 27
While we may not have landed a spaceship on the moon or developed
nuclear technology, our inventors and innovators have made globally
acknowledged contributions
Quote 28
Transformation in my view simply means taking what you have and
making the best of it and in so doing produce results that can bring
about a paradigm shift.
Quote 29
I want to assure Nigerians that crude oil is not our ‘Black Gold.’
The real ‘Black Gold’ of Nigeria are her people and they can grow in
value from gold to diamond via education.
Quote 30
Let me put you on notice: the assignment of offices is not an allocation of privileges.
Quote 31
Nigeria is a nation of resilient people. We will never yield to the forces of darkness. Nigeria will never ever, disintegrate.
Quote 32
The quality of governance is as good as the quality of the civil service.
Quote 33
The best advertisement for good governance is its positive expressions of happiness in the lives of the governed.
Quote 34
In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags. I
carried my books in my hands but never despaired; no car to take me to
school, but I never despaired. There were days I had only one meal but I
never despaired. I walked miles and crossed rivers to school every day,
but I never despaired. Didn’t have power, didn’t have generators,
studied with lanterns, but I never despaired. In spite of these, I
finished secondary school attended the University of Port Harcourt and
now hold a doctorate degree.
Quote 35
I was not born rich and in my youth, I never imagined that I would be where I am today, but not once did I ever give up.
Quote 36
As the most populous black nation on earth it seems our manifest
destiny is to champion the cause of African emancipation and
integration.
Quote 37
African renaissance remains an unfinished business, but the work
that remains should not stop us from focusing on new priorities and
challenges.
Quote 38
On the football field, nobody cares who scores for Nigeria. You can
be a Musa or a Moses; you can be a Christopher or a Mustapha, nobody
cares.
Quote 39
We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the
sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because
our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
Quote 40
Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by
those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential
character of our people.
Quote 41
Africa must declare an end to the era of self-inflicted wars and conflicts.
Quote 42
Africa must turn its begging bowls into baskets of prosperity and opportunity.
Quote 43
It is the supreme task of this generation to give hope to the hopeless strength to the weak and protection to the defenseless.
Quote 44
We must develop a democratic culture in which the will of the
people will be treated as sacred and be immune to subversion by
anti-democratic elements.
Quote 45
As we strive to advance our democratic development, there will be
times when our will shall be tested, our patience provoked and our
belief questioned.
Quote 46
The beauty of democracy is that its practice is never final and
always has room for improvement no matter how old a democratic society
may be. Where we falter we must not fall. When we are weak, we must not
surrender.
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