Urhobo Historical Society
Against the
background of resounding
calls by discerning Nigerians to restore faith in the rule of law and
follow
the Constitution to the letter in the matter of a credible helmsman for
the
nation, Nengi Josef Ilagha,
veteran speech writer, provides an insight into the life of Dr Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Profile of a Gentleman
Think not
what your
country can do for you,
but
what you can do for your country. - John
F. Kennedy
By His Majesty Nengi
Josef Ilagha
Mingi XII, Amanyanabo
of Nembe
Bayelsa State, Nigeria
|
O |
N NOVEMBER 20,
1957, when a
peasant farmer named Jonathan and his wife gave birth to a baby boy at
their
humble homestead in Otuoke, they never
imagined that
the boy would become famous beyond the rural confines of Ogbia
kingdom. Not for once did it occur to them that this boy would one day
become
the first Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State
rising, by
dint of hard work and the intervention of fate, to become Governor.
Even so, the
paternal
grandmother of this jolly good chap had a vision for her grandson. She
called
him Azikiwe, in the hope that the
illustrious name
would leave a political imprint of glory on his impressionable mind,
and lead
him to repeat the exploits of the Great Zik
of
Africa. The old woman did not hope in vain. Early in life, the lad
marked himself
apart from his peers. He was christened Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan. Today, many years after he
took up chalk
and slate, he holds a doctorate degree in Zoology and serves under
President Umar Musa Yar�Adua
as the first
Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to emerge from the
south-south
geo-political zone in the 49-year history of Nigeria.
Young Goodluck
Jonathan began his primary education at St Stephen�s Primary School
(now State
School, Otuoke) and later moved to St
Michael�s
Primary School, Oloibiri, where he
completed his
elementary education in 1969, at the age of 12. His leadership traits
began to
come up for reckoning in the course of his secondary school days. In
1973,
while in form three, he was appointed class prefect and Secretary of
the Food
Committee, an administrative body of hostel masters and senior
students. He
occupied that position up to form five. As the prime prefect of
Masterson
House, he soon assumed the exalted office of Chairman, Committee of
Prefects.
Like a gold fish, he could no longer hide. Two years later, in 1975, he
obtained his West African School Certificate from the famous Mater Dei
High
School, Imiringi, passing out with a
distinction.
Afterward, Goodluck Jonathan worked as a Preventive Officer
with the
Department of Customs and Excise, proud of his khaki uniform, his new
rank, and
the official pistol by his side, stuck in its holster. In 1977, he
secured
admission into the Department of Zoology, a pioneer student of the
newly
established University of Port Harcourt. After a studious tenure there,
he
bagged a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981, graduating with a Second
Class Honours (Upper Division).
As a corps member, Goodluck served Nigeria devotedly as a humble
classroom
teacher at Iresi, a community in Oyo
State, now in Osun State. At the end of
the NYSC programme
in 1982, the young man took up appointment as a classroom teacher under
the
auspices of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, and began to
cultivate
his independent-minded spirit. Following his exceptional performance at
the
interview, he was promptly upgraded to the rank of Science Inspector of
Education in the Ministry of Education.
But then, Goodluck
Jonathan always knew that he had a bond with the academia that he
couldn�t
deny. Accordingly, in November 1983, he left the mainstream civil
service for
the Rivers State College of Education, Port Harcourt, where he picked
up his
chalk again, standing before the blackboard and drawing diagrams,
content with
his status as a lecturer in the Department of Biological
Sciences. He was
elected as a Representative of Congress in the Senior Appointments and
Promotions Committee of the College. He performed his duties to great
acclaim
until he voluntarily resigned his appointment.
Given his dogged
quest for knowledge,
however, he propelled himself to obtain a Masters degree in
Hydro-Biology and
Fisheries Biology in 1985. It is on record that from his primary school
right
through tertiary education, Goodluck
Jonathan never
failed any terminal or semester examination. Ultimately, in 1995, after
a long
dream of academic fulfillment, he bagged his Doctor of Philosophy
degree in
Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt.
With the creation
of the Oil
Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, in October
1992, Dr
Jonathan was called to serve as Assistant Director, Ecology, in March
1993 in
the Directorate of Environmental Protection and Pollution Control. He
was in
charge of the Environmental Protection Sub-Department of the
Commission. He
performed creditably in that capacity, until he voluntarily left the
service of
the Commission in 1998.
Simple and
unassuming, humble
to a fault, none of his friends, colleagues and associates ever
expected Dr Goodluck Jonathan to jump into
the rough waters of Nigerian
politics. But that is exactly what he did. Inspired by the words of
Isaac Adaka Boro,
determined to advance
the welfare and progress of his people on a larger scale, he ventured
into
politics in 1998, with a hopeful heart beating in his chest. At the
dawn of the
Fourth Republic, Dr Jonathan pitched tent with the Peoples Democratic
Party,
PDP, and emerged as the running mate to the party�s gubernatorial
flag-bearer,
Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
The duo emerged triumphant at the polls in the 1999 governorship
election, and
so Dr Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan stepped into office as the first Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.
A
cautious, disciplined and seasoned administrator, his dedication to
service
earned him the Best Performing Deputy Governor Award, as well as the Honourary Award for Democracy and Good
Governance. Given his
contributions to Environmental Management,
he was decorated with the prestigious Honourary
Fellowship of the Nigerian Environmental Society. A member of various
professional associations around the world, he remains a Fellow of the
Fisheries Society of Nigeria, FISON, Fellow of the Public
Administrators of
Nigeria, Fellow, International Association of Impact Assessment, IAIA,
and
Fellow, Institute of Corporate Affairs Management. He is also a member,
Science
Teachers Association of Nigeria, and Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary
International.
A man of apparent
honesty, an
astute and dependable politician, a thought-provoking teacher,
technocrat and
peace maker, an achiever of no mean distinction, he remains popular
amongst his
people. He abides in the consciousness of his friends, associates and
record
keepers as a builder of unity bridges.
Indeed Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan qualifies as a lover of
truth, a
perfect gentleman deserving of honour, a
caring
husband to his loving wife, Patience Faka
Jonathan,
and a great father and friend to his adorable children, Aruabai
Jonathan and Adolphus Ariweri
Jonathan. Like a tree solidly rooted in the earth, he holds an
unshakeable
belief in the oneness and brotherhood, not only of the Ogbia
clan and his home state, Bayelsa, but of
our great
nation, Nigeria.
These are the
invaluable
personal and public testimonies that enabled him to worm a path into
the heart
of his friend and current boss, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar�Adua.
Dr Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan,
Grand Commander of the Order of Nigeria, GCON, was sworn into office as
Vice
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2007.