Editorial, Nigerians Abroad Live

Nigeria’s 2011 presidential election is ‘one like no other in the history of the country’. It’s the election about the future — the faith of diverse group of people and their pride, and the country’s strategic role in Africa’s development breakthrough.

For one man in particular, the April 16 poll was a climax in a spirited journey, in his effort to make good what his name means by leading the continent’s biggest country into the next stage of nationhood.

It has been said more than once, that the only logical explanation into the political sojourn of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan — from a child born into the family of Canoe makers to becoming President of a nation with more than 150 million people — is simply that of the hand of God.

With a show of extraordinary will to succeed, Jonathan faced his biggest challenge on his way to becoming Nigeria’s 4th president, since 1999, during the ruling party’s primary election, characterized by high level of intrigues, resentment and threat of the unknown.

Despite the storm that almost consume the ruling party as result of politics of sectionalism and accusation of bridge of agreement, Jonathan political machine surprised political watchers by defeating his arc-rival, Atiku Abubakar, in a landslide victory, and in the process, decapitates Nigeria’s powerful northern elites.

The challenges didn’t stop there, he manages to secure voters nod in a presidential poll that showed cracks between northern and southern regions of the country.

Over the next few weeks political analyst will attempt to draw conclusions on how Jonathan won the south-west region votes — now tagged as the joker card in the presidential poll — despite the region well known as an opposition party strong hold.

All been said, the next Nigeria’s president has an uphill task to be accomplished, as the country move into another era and tries to let go its trying days.

Why is the 2011 presidential poll quite significant than any other in Nigeria? After fifty years of self rule and nation building that have yielded very little, Nigeria now have another chance to re-lay a foundation for its success, over the next five decades.

Now saddled with the responsibility to carry the burden of an uninspired nation, President Jonathan has no choice, but to rise up to the challenges of a great leader. The urgency of now requires that the president not only oversees day-to-day running of the national government, but, in addition, to inspire the nation into greatness and for it to take its rightful place in the committee of nations

The president has to hit the ground running to fulfill his elaborate electioneering promises to Nigerians — fight against corruption; rebuild collapsed education system, infrastructure, with electricity as a priority; strengthening of local businesses and attracting global investors; create jobs for millions of unemployed youth; resuscitate the health care system; and improve upon worrisome national security, among others.

His administration will have to renegotiate fundamental problems that continued to impede Nigeria’s growth and development.  True federalism and resource control will continue to haunt Nigeria’s progress, if not addressed in a timely fashion. Also important is the restructuring of how government works. For the country to move forward and achieve meaningful socio-economic and political development, the bureaucracy — government  institutions and agencies — must be able to operate and function in a business like mode, credible and problem-solving.

By and large, for the Goodluck Jonathan regime to be successful, over the next four years, Mr president has to surround himself with credible and proven technocrats and politicians who are ready to work for Nigeria and all Nigerians.

With the 2011 presidential election over,  The President will need the support of Nigerians home and in the diaspora to rekindle the hope of the nation, that many looked up to when the country’s sovereign green and white flag was raised on October 1st 1960.

It may have taken fifty years of a long and painful journey  for Nigerians to relive such hope and dreams, it however, speaks volume of the nation common aspiration, to thrive in Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.

Together, the country of Herbert Macaulay and Alvan Ikoku, Nnamdi Azikwe and Ahmadu Bello,  Obafemi Awolowo and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Anthony Enahoro and Aminu Kano, will have to continue to work towards a perfect union.

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