Leaders must regain Nigeria’s lost value - Jonathan

• Written by  Sylvanus Eze - Awka
• Friday, 24 May 2013 03:30

President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Nigerian leaders to change in character and style of governance to recapture the country’s lost value which was reflected in the writings of the late literary icon, the late Emeritus Professor Chinualumogo Achebe’s.
He made the call during the burial service of the late literary gaint at Saint Philips Anglican Church, Ogidi, Idemili North in Anambra State.
The president said  the  late Emeritus Professor Achebe believed in hard work and imparted life, adding that though the he was dead, he was alive, as he would continue to live through his literary writings, create impact and solve societal problems.
He cited the three books of the late Emeritus Professor Achebe; “Things Fall Apart, The Trouble With Nigeria and There Was A Country,” and quoted page 51 of the book, “There Was A Country” where he explained how colonial masters manipulated the country, and how religion played its own part and how Nigeria suddenly got herself enveloped with corruption.
President Jonathan said Nigerian leaders must change for the best, but said it might not happen  if people in  positions, businessmen and professionals refused to change, adding that nothing was wrong with Nigeria, but for corrupt politicians.
He said the late Achebe wrote his first book when he was 28-year-old, crying for change and consistently talked about change in almost all his books and “today we are living witnesses that Nigeria has not changed” and vowed that with his group of political leaders Nigeria must  this time change.
President Jonathan recalled that when the bishops were making their remarks, they said the primary school where the late don attended, (Akpaka Ogwe Primary School, Ogidi) had not changed from what it was then and promised that he, with his Ghanian counterpart, President John Malama, would  rebuild the school.
In his own brief address, President of the Republic of Ghana, President Malama, said  he came to Nigeria to join Nigerians in mourning the African literary writer whom he admired so much.
Dignitaries on the occasion were African writers, 25 diplomats from different parts of the world, his state governor, Mr Peter  Obi, all the governors from the South-East and South-South regions, Dr Alex Ekwueme and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, members of the two houses of the national assembly, led by the Senate Deputy Speaker, Senator Emeka Ikedioha, among others.