The president Nigeria needs to survive –Dr Jaana Nwafor-Orizu, daughter of former acting president

As Nigerians prepare for the March/April polls, Dr Jaana Nwafor-Orizu, daughter and personal secretary of the former Acting President, the late Dr Nwafor Orizu, insists that the nation needs a detribalized president for healing.

In this interview with Sunday Sun, she rated President Goodluck Jonathan’s performance high, insisting that a vote for him would brighten the prospects of a better Nigeria.

Excerpts:

Some Nigerians believe that Goodluck Jonathan does not merit another tenure. Do you agree with these people?

President Goodluck Azikiwe Ebele Jonathan deserves another tenure. This position rests on completely dispassionate and objective grounds. Given his performance in most areas within the short period he has ruled Nigeria and amidst mischievous opposition, I believe he should be left alone to finish the good works he already started. He keeps promises, handles the polity with a human face and listens to the people he leads. Despite all natural and man-made challenges, Nigeria has moved forward from where he met it. I believe that anybody who loves Nigeria should support continuity. Anybody who is sincere can only contribute by way of positive suggestions to make good things better. There are some thorny issues that may require improvement but not change in administration as if there is a ready-made perfect man from heaven to relieve GEJ. When a government painstakingly recruits experts in different fields to man their areas of expertise, it shows that such government has sincere intentions . In the past, there have been serious issues of putting square pegs in round holes. The government of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has virtually corrected this and the effect is clear.

We should also realize that Nigeria needs a completely detribalized president within our multi-ethnic setting. Our president is neither clannish nor parochial. He respects the urgent need for unity in diversity. Again, Jonathan obviously has a good sense for equity and meritocracy. He minds the aged, men, women, the youth, students, the unemployed, the physically challenged, city dwellers, village dwellers, political class, the business class, civil servants, and the retired. Directly and indirectly, this administration has good news for everybody in Nigeria. Generally, there is improvement in the living standards of every Nigerian. If we give him more time, more good things will happen and a higher standard of living will be achieved. This cannot be achieved by disrupting the works in progress all in the name of change.

Nigeria is a very unique country blessed with abundant human and material resources and garnished with multiple languages, cultures, ethnic and religious groups. Such a country needs a youthful, vibrant, well educated, and enlightened visionary leader. Today, in our march to civilization, we need the tact and dynamism of a humble president who has listening ears.

Moreover, there is no gainsaying the fact that experience counts. Here is a man who has the rare record of exposure to governance at all levels. As a teacher he governed students, then he became the deputy governor of a state. When fate bought him the job of governorship, he performed to the admiration of a president. He was picked among other leaders to expand his services as the vice president. Not long after, fate once more bought him the job of acting president and later the president of the most populous black nation in the world. Then, Mr. President contested and won in an election that was acclaimed to be highly free and fair. Then he went to work, marshaled out agenda for total reformation and transformation of the country. He and his able team are on it. If we love Nigeria, we should let him get to a logical conclusion before handing the baton to another person.

Ohaneze Ndigbo differs in the purported endorsement of President Jonathan. This is against the fact that the South East zone gave him massive support in 2011. What could be responsible for the waning South east support for President Jonathan?

The Igbo will always differ in everything; it’s in their DNA. Have Igbos ever had a unified voice on anything since independence? They have peculiarities which Jonathan may not alter overnight. The only thing we must ensure is that they are not marginalized in any aspect because they have contributed more than their quota towards the development of Nigeria from the pre- independence era to date. Again, I don’t see why this should be an issue because no single candidate can get one hundred percent backing of any ethnic group. This is more or less human nature. I believe in pragmatic approach to issues. Much as leadership is expected to direct and control, the led must desist from cynicism and apathy. If there is balance and equity in the distribution of our god-given resources, trust and support will take their natural course. But remember, there must always be people whose opinion must differ on every issue.

Which of the presidential candidates do you consider the best choice?

Like I said earlier, the reasons for choosing President Jonathan are obvious. This administration is tackling issues of transformation in a horizontal manner. It’s only sensible that GEJ be given the chance to do more of what he has started which he can’t even finish in the 48 months in view. This is no big deal. Are some people not seeing what I’ve seen already? As an individual, I do take time to study issues that affect the destiny of my country and her people. I take time to get proper information on every aspect of our growth in this country. I can differentiate between propaganda and real issues on ground. From objective observation and comparative analysis, I have come to the informed opinion that if given at least the short period of forty eight months, we will all be happier while moving on to that ideal nation state.

Critics of Mr President describe him as clueless and lacking the political will to steer Nigeria out of its numerous woes. Having been in power for six years, do you think Jonathan can turn the nation round in another four years?

This is a mere careless statement based on witch-hunting and being perpetrated by those who wish to be the president at this stage of our growth. If he is clueless who is responsible for his unstoppable move in his political journey in the past 15 years? His own style doesn’t have to be another mans style. He is focused and has remained stable despite the ill wind blowing from some avowed unpatriotic detractors. If any body had the magic wand to turn Nigeria around in one day, let the person wait for 48 short months. Let’s not beg this issue. I hope we are not joking with the destiny of this nation.At times it appears that while some Nigerians are trying their best to practice democracy, some other arrogate unto themselves the prerogative of abusing this same democracy. Respect for constituted authorities is a mark of good home training. The negative practice of democracy is giving many virtues away. We must respect those who toil to make Nigeria better. In Goodluck Jonathan, we have a humble and god-fearing leader.

The big issue in Nigeria today is corruption. Some people accuse the present leadership of treating corruption with kid gloves. Is the present leadership really serious in the fight against corrupt enrichment by government officials?

The corruption in Nigeria is not a Jonathan issue. Corruption is very bad and has eaten deep into our bone marrows. However, there is no easy process of change. We are in the age of realism and corruption happens. It will take its toll and will reduce when the gap between the poor and the rich narrows a bit and when necessities of life stop being a luxury to the common man. If you show me a country that has zero corruption, I will tell you the exact date corruption will bid goodbye to Nigeria. Corruption is a human thing and like other vices not every body has the disease. It will reduce with time. Meanwhile, I believe that we need a kind of leadership and conscience training in our school curriculum and our homes. Corruption has much to do with strength of character, conditioned also by background. The problem with this word today is that people don’t even differentiate these things any more. There is no group that is not involved in this anomaly. In every social stratum in Nigeria, there is corruption. Neither the rich nor the poor is blameless. It’s a shame, but if one puts one’s nose down, one will sure smell corruption from all corners. That’s why I said that with time, if sustained effort is made, people will gradually outgrow the menace like we are gradually out growing coup in our polity.

Your late dad, Dr Nwafor Orizu, gave his heart and soul to Nigeria. Looking at his antecedents, what is your impression about successive leadership that emerged in recent time?

Freedom fighters in every society are hardly the same with those born to that freedom. The overwhelming impact of freedom produced neocolonialists. This created the loophole that brought in military dictatorship. But as you can see, we are moving forward. Democracy has returned and we should give it enough space to mature. Nigerians are now aware and with proper reorientation, we will continue to grow. Neo-nationalists are now coming up but we should not counter them by ethnic and clannish interests. We must learn to love our dear motherland and give it all it takes just like my father and some of his compatriots did. When we realize that everything about the destiny of Nigeria absolutely supersedes our parochial individual agenda, then that love for country will change the way we approach national issues including offering exemplary leadership, growth in all sectors, fight against corruption, national security and unity in diversity.

BY SAM OTTI