Outgoing President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has stated that his 16 years as a public servant was akin to someone living inside a cage. According to him, public service is not as rosy as many people may see it.
Jonathan gave this shocking revelation in Abuja when the Christian community in the federal capital paid him the traditional Easter homage.
The president, while describing himself as one of the luckiest Nigerians today, thanked the country for giving him the opportunity to serve for 16 years.
His words: “This Easter period coincides with when I’m leaving but I always say I’m one of the luckiest Nigerians. From 1999, I have been in the hands of government. I am yet to see somebody who is luckier than me.
“I was in the hands of governments for 16 years, not in government as a parliamentarian, because if you are in the National Assembly or state House of Assembly, you take care of yourself in your house. I was in a cage being taken care of by the government. But I think it is enough and I am happy. Help me thank God for that.”
Jonathan said the in-coming President, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) can only succeed if Nigerians cooperate with him and are ready to make sacrifice for the nation.
According to him, “as a people, what I always believe we should ask is what sacrifice are we making? It is not about supporting Jonathan or government. Now, Buhari is coming on board, it is not about supporting Burhari or his government but what sacrifice are you willing to make for government and for the nation as an individual.
“Nation-building depends on the sacrifice of individuals and the patriotism of the citizens. These are two key elements, and we must be ready to sacrifice for our nation.
“If you are a businessman and you say you are supporting government but you don’t pay tax, how do you expect that government to survive? That government will not survive. To me, whenever I travelled to different countries and saw things work, I realised those things didn’t fall down as manna but people made sacrifice.
“Therefore, in Nigeria people must also be ready to make the required sacrifice. Whoever becomes president is immaterial so long as the citizens are happy. Our children go to school, when we are sick they go to good hospitals and of course the economy blossoms,” he added.
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