Waiting for Luck: Goodluck Jonathan 

This is the second mention of Goodluck Jonathan in this column.  Mr. Jonathan is Nigeria’s Vice-President.  He should expect to get a lot of mention, here and elsewhere.   

Public officials enjoyed being mentioned by the public, as long as it is “positive” mention.  That is the genre of public relations that press officers love to bring to the attention of their bosses: stories about how handsome and successful and well-spoken the Big Man is.   

This is one of those fascinating areas in public life: is an office an end, or a process?  Is a position in government an award, or a trust?  Quite often, a government official is upset because he feels that his position does not enjoy the acclaim it deserves.  He points at the press and complains about how he is being disrespected because attention is on what he has not done, rather than the importance of his office.  He resents opposing views that remind him of popular expectations, not self; of history, rather than this moment.   

Hopefully, Vice-President Jonathan does not think this way.  I do not know much about him, except that he is a key beneficiary of the avarice of his boss as Deputy Governor, Dipreye Alamieseigha, and last year’s collapse of Olusegun Obasanjo’s self-succession effort.  

The first fell into the sewers of his own greed, opening the door for Mr. Jonathan to become governor, while the failure of the other to convert the nation to his personal estate led to the arrival of one Umaru Yar’Adua, and the luck of the lottery.  Obviously, Mr. Jonathan is a very lucky man.   

But what of this nation, Nigeria?  Is Goodluck’s luck good for Nigeria?   

So far, hardly.  It searches for leadership, which he and President Yar’Adua has said they will provide.  Nigeria hopes they will.  They carry the burden of an apologetic leadership that is bogged down in the quicksand of their flawed election.   

That is how it should be, and I am happy they subscribe to the rule of law and will allow the electoral tribunal to do its work.  It is of the greatest importance that they defend their mandate according to the law.   

It is at this point that we must remind Mr. Jonathan that while his mandate is very important, there is something that is even more important than a mandate.   

That thing is character.   

A mandate may be disputed, won, lost, or even stolen, but not character.  That is why Mr. Yar’Adua’s recent declaration of his assets says a lot about him.  It was not the first time he was making the point of declaring his assets, but it says something about him as a person.   

It says he is not afraid.  It asserts he is whom he says he is.  It says he is a man of principle.  It describes his character.   

There are some loopholes in Mr. Yar’Adua’s declaration of assets, and some commentators have pointed them out.  I do not think, however, that they detract from the significance of his action, or that they are loopholes he cannot correct.   

In a country long on the proclamations and preachments of its leaders but short on commitment and action, what the President did was to set an example for every Nigerian, particularly those in public service.  I hope that wherever he was, Vice-President Jonathan was one of those who rose and applauded the President, and did so sincerely. 

If so, I applaud the Vice-President himself.  But I must now remind him that there is one Nigerian, one particular Nigerian, for whom Mr. Yar’Adua’s example is of even greater significance.  That person is Mr. Jonathan. 

The example of Mr. Yar’Adua is an eloquent symbol that is capable of turning Nigeria around, whether the election tribunal overturns the election of last April or not.  But if he and Mr. Jonathan remain in office, Mr. Yar’Adua’s example and sacrifice is a loud waste unless one other thing happens.   

Unless Mr. Jonathan also publicly declares his assets.   

If the Vice-President does not declare his assets, it would be a signal to all other public officials that nothing has changed, and that the example of Mr. Yar’Adua should be ignored.  Nigeria’s Number Two Citizen would be telling Nigeria that all of the talk about a new beginning is the President’s problem that has no meaning.  Mr. Jonathan would be declaring war on the President’s objective of leading by example, beginning with himself.   

I know there is no law in Nigeria requiring anyone to declare his assets in public.  I have heard many commentators proclaim this, but they are wrong.  If there was no law permitting public officials to loot the treasury, there ought to be no special requirement for anyone in public office stepping forward to pronounce his hands clean.   

It is the voluntary nature of this effort that accords it history and respect.  Such an act provides a strong testament to claims of a new Nigeria, a Nigeria led by the “independence generation,” by people who have come to serve, not to serve themselves.  Such an act would enhance the optimism of the public that there may be substance to the statements of the President that he is here as a “servant-leader.”  

Let me turn the coin over: if Mr. Jonathan does not declare his assets, or chooses to hide his “declaration” under a legal banana leaf, it is proof he has something to hide, and he must be considered to be subverting our hopes for the future.  If he does not follow the example of the President and declare his assets publicly, Mr. Jonathan has an agenda that is suspicious, and should not be given the benefit of the doubt.  

If he does not declare his assets, publicly and promptly, he forfeits the privilege of taking the respect of the people with him, because it must be assumed that having been the Governor of a State, he has pilfered from the people of that state, and is uncomfortable having to explain his wealth.  If he does not declare his assets immediately, he must be regarded as working for himself and those in the government who oppose the action of the President.   

I will go further.  If Mr. Jonathan delays beyond July 29, 2007, two months after assuming office and one month after his boss’s bold move, before declaring his assets publicly, Nigerians must make it the first question they ask him every day he wakes up.  And when he passes them anywhere on earth, they must raise their voices and shout: “D-Y-A, D-Y-A, D-Y-A! (Declare Your Assets!) 

No, Mr. Jonathan, in our nation today, declaring your assets is no longer a privilege or a matter of the law.  Nor is it a burden.  It is a national duty.   

Declare Your Assets, so that others may begin to know whom you are, or get out of the new way.   
 

• sonala.olumhense@gmail.com

Robot  Villager

# 1 If Mr. Jonathan does not declare his assets, or chooses to hide his “declaration” under...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 21.07.2007 22:50

Abraxas  Villager

# 2 I will go further. If Mr. Jonathan delays beyond July 29, 2007, two months after assuming office and one month after his boss’s bold move, before declaring his assets publicly, Nigerians must make it the first question they ask him every day he wakes up. And when he passes them anywhere on earth, they must raise their voices and shout: “D-Y-A, D-Y-A, D-Y-A! (Declare Your Assets!) No, Mr. Jonathan, in our nation today, declaring your assets is no longer a privilege or a matter of the law. Nor is it a burden. It is a national duty. Hi, folks! Is it too much to ask that the National Assembly should review and amend,as appropriate, the particular section of the Nigerian constitution that deals with assets declaration by public officers, so as to reflect the fact that declaring one's assets PUBLICLY is no longer an option, but now MANDATORY? In short, from the President to federal and states legislators, to governors, local government chairpersons, to Chief Executives of federal and states enterprises (like PHCN, NNPC, NITEL etc), INCLUDING service chiefs in the Nigerian armed forces, it should be MANDATORY for them to PUBLICLY declare their assets IMMEDIATELY they assume office. Obrigado. Don Juan-Carlos ABRAXAS (III) Posted by Abraxas| 22.07.2007 02:13

akuluouno  Villager

# 3 In my JJC days in the village I spoke about the sentiment, albeit, Victorian, which calls upon leaders to show noblesse oblige. Immediately, patriotic villagers threw fireworks at me in all directions. These Hon villagers later became my village friends. Having said the above, I am miffed at why GJ has not come out with his magnum opus wrt his assets. That is classical noblese oblige irrespective of the letter or spirit of the law on the matter and let me say that this is where UMYA has dusted his friends and foes so far. Anyway I am off to morning service to pray that GJ remembers to do that by the deadline given by RA in Jesus Name. Amen:D:D:D:D:D Posted by akuluouno| 22.07.2007 03:25

akuluouno  Villager

# 4 Sorry I mean by the deadline given by SO not RA. Amen. Happy prayerful Sunday to all.:biggrin: Posted by akuluouno| 22.07.2007 04:56

THE VOICE  Villager

# 5 I think it is in the best interest of the VP to meet the deadline set by S.O. / or show practical signs that he is keen on public declaration of his assets and liabilities. His failure to do so will mean so many things to different people and it would not be out of place if UMY starts seeing him as a disloyal VP who cannot be trusted and the whole Nigerians will see him as somebody who has a lot to hide. Posted by THE VOICE| 22.07.2007 06:10

Palamedes  Villager

# 6 >>Mr. Yar’Adua’s example and sacrifice is a loud waste unless one other thing happens. Unless Mr. Jonathan also publicly declares his assets. This issue should dominate the airwaves and newspapers in Nigeria. The press should be persistent in their pursuit to get an answer from him and his boss: They should continue to ask him, his colleagues and the president at every press conference as to when he intends to declare his assets. No government likes bad publicity especially one (generated within the government) that continues to overshadow the policies and messages the government is trying to communicate to the people in press briefings and conferences. If the press are resilient in their pursuit of the VP, eventually his boss and his party leaders would put pressure on him to declare his assets. I also think that if the VP starts becoming a liability to his boss, the President should drop him at the next election to avoid a repeat of OBJ/Atiku fiasco. I just hope that the press are unrelenting in their endeavours to call him to order. Posted by Palamedes| 22.07.2007 07:44

tengallons  Villager

# 7 Good talk Sonala. GJ's silence is getting loud. This whole issue however, is another reason for a reliable taxation system -- which we are far from having, especially with respect to "business" men and women. Ideally, I'd like to see a little history of assets. Nigerian politicians are quite adept at using surrogates to hide holdings. Posted by tengallons| 22.07.2007 07:52

overdryv  Villager

# 8 If there is one person in Nigeria today who would not declare his assets, that person is GJ. Was it not this same man who connived with Obj and Ribadu to impeach his former boss? How could he explain his sudden wealth as he has never been known to be a businessman ala Atiku. Would he say he was building and renting canoes that made him a millionaire? It is probably only in Nigeria that a governor whose associates including his wife with money laundry cases pending against them would be made vice president. The case of GJ shows that Nigeria is firmly in the grip of a cabal who would leave nothing to chance to control the oil wealth of the Niger Delta. It is this group that dictates who assume governorship positions in the Niger Delta. How else can one explain that someone like Alamesiegha who was dismissed from the Air force for exam cheating found himself as governor of Bayelsa state or the notorious James Ibori who ran deals for Abacha. Flawed elections or not, the present leaders in Nigeria are all iredeemable looters who deserve nothing less than the gallows. It was recently reported that the Rivers state governor awarded a N7 billion contract. Of this sum, he may eventually pocket N2 billion. Corruption in Nigeria is an unending spiral. The leaders we have now would only find new ways to hide their loot undetected. Posted by overdryv| 22.07.2007 07:54

Son of the Delta  Villager

# 9 The major thing is not declaration of assets but an overhaul of the system that permits and condoles the declaration of national and party assets as personal assets. Posted by Son of the Delta| 22.07.2007 10:09

ebasain  Villager

# 10 The fact of the matter is, Jonathan Goodluck, the former governor of Bayelsa state and now Vice President of the current illegal government headed by Yar'Adua ought to be in one of EEFC's jails. This man, like his predecessor before him stole Bayelsa BLIND only to become the Vice President of Nigeria? That's what's wrong with Nigeria. If Jonathan Goodluck, Lucky Igbinedion, Peter Odili and James Ibori are not brought to book, the whole talk about fighting corruption is in shambles. It's only through these men that we can ascertain just how much Obasanjo, the self-styled 'Founder of Modern Nigeria' actually stole Nigeria BLIND. If Yar'Adua has declared his assets but the number two man in the country is refusing to follow his master's example, it means some- thing is terribly wrong somewhere. Jonathan can weave and duck all he wants, but someday, somehow, the secrecy of Bayelsa vice will be blown wide open. Mark my words. The evil that men do lives after them, the good, they say is often interred in their bones. Posted by ebasain| 22.07.2007 10:19

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