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| President Goodluck Jonathan |
By Robinson Sibe
I started this piece with a different title in mind but changed it after stumbling on a quote by Thomas Jefferson: "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have". Many might disagree with this, using lottery winners as examples of beneficiaries of sheer luck without hard work. I tend to agree with Thomas Jefferson as even the lottery winner first invests some money in the ticket, he also believes in the process, takes time out to fill the accompanying forms and then tracks his winning number. That is some measure of hard work. Many might argue that President Jonathan’s meteoric rise from being an ordinary citizen a little over a decade ago to becoming the Number One citizen of the country today
is a feat made possible by sheer luck. They base their arguments on the fact that he never contested any election all by himself to get to the highest office. While I may not rule out the divine angle to his
ascension, however, I tend to believe more in the fact that his luck was made possible by hard work and the right attitude.
It is therefore not a surprise that President Jonathan in all his designations impressed his bosses. The late President Yar’Adua never stopped singing his praises before he passed on, Governor Alameseigha and A.K. Horsefall his other former bosses are still singing his praises even today. He certainly did not impress them with luck; rather he showed he was a hard working man that can be trusted with responsibilities. He not only dispatched his assignments perfectly but did so calmly and quietly. That is why in just about a decade; he rose from being a Deputy Governor, to Acting Governor, to Governor, to Vice President, to Acting President and President calmly and quietly. Even in the corporate world, it is only natural that a hard working staff be given rapid promotion. President Goodluck, being an embodiment of hard work, Patience and Perseverance has earned whatever luck that is attributed to his ascension.
Upon becoming the Acting President and President, many doubted his capacity to perform. However, in less than a year, his achievements, not borne out of spontaneous luck but earned through hard work, are there to speak for him. Some of his achievements in less than one year as President include: - *Upgrading of Akanu Ibiam Airport to International Status (Phase 1 has already been commissioned). Could this be sheer luck?
*Investments and reforms in the aviation sector have earned us a Category A rating by the American aviation authorities. Also two more airlines have joined in direct US-Nigeria route. Could this be sheer luck?
*Improved economy has resulted in growths of 7.3% (Source: IMF) in the last quarter and the country being rated the third fastest growing economy in the world behind China and India. This has led to improved investor confidence; an example is the choice of Nigeria by the world’s second largest Credit card Operator, MasterCard as its base for West/East Africa and the Indian Ocean. Could this be sheer luck?
*For the first time in our recent history, people are celebrating a major holiday like Christmas without queues at the filling station and at official pump price. Could this be luck?
*Sitting of new federal Universities in the states without any. Could this be sheer luck?
*New minimum wage of N18, 000 for workers. Could this be sheer luck?
*Over 2000 workers have gone back to work as a result of the Textile intervention fund he made available to jump-start the sector. Could this be sheer luck?
*In a bid to conduct free and fair elections, President Jonathan appointed men of impeccable pedigree (to which even the opposition commended) to conduct the elections. He also approved all that INEC
requested to do a thorough job in record time. Could this be sheer luck?
*In a bid to diversify the economy and tap in to the amazing potentials, President Jonathan made available $200 million life line for the entertainment industry and N500 billion bail-out for the Manufacturing industry. Could this be sheer luck?
*Commencement of design work for the Coastal Road Project. Could this be sheer luck?
*Approval for the design and construction of three new refineries. Could this be sheer luck?
*De-listing of Nigeria from the terror watch list and hard drugs watch list. Could this be sheer luck?
*In a bid to get our youths back to work, President Jonathan made provision 50 billion seed fund set aside in the 2011 Budget Presented to the National Assembly only last week to tackle unemployment through direct job creation and Investor support/collaboration. Could this be sheer luck?
The list could go on and on and it’s interesting that all these were achieved in less than one year. Calling these achievements a product of sheer luck could be like attributing Osain Bolt’s achievements at the last Olympic to sheer luck. Whatever we call good luck was spurred by hard work. So, if President Goodluck can through hard work bring good luck to Nigeria then let’s maximize and utilize this luck effectively by giving him a full term to entrench “good luck” in our system. Going by Thomas Jefferson’s
quote, the more hard work Goodluck puts in, the luckier Nigeria becomes. He’s done just that and is ready to do more. Good Luck Nigeria!
(Sibe is Strategy Coordinator of “The Jonathan Project”)
is a feat made possible by sheer luck. They base their arguments on the fact that he never contested any election all by himself to get to the highest office. While I may not rule out the divine angle to his
ascension, however, I tend to believe more in the fact that his luck was made possible by hard work and the right attitude.
It is therefore not a surprise that President Jonathan in all his designations impressed his bosses. The late President Yar’Adua never stopped singing his praises before he passed on, Governor Alameseigha and A.K. Horsefall his other former bosses are still singing his praises even today. He certainly did not impress them with luck; rather he showed he was a hard working man that can be trusted with responsibilities. He not only dispatched his assignments perfectly but did so calmly and quietly. That is why in just about a decade; he rose from being a Deputy Governor, to Acting Governor, to Governor, to Vice President, to Acting President and President calmly and quietly. Even in the corporate world, it is only natural that a hard working staff be given rapid promotion. President Goodluck, being an embodiment of hard work, Patience and Perseverance has earned whatever luck that is attributed to his ascension.
Upon becoming the Acting President and President, many doubted his capacity to perform. However, in less than a year, his achievements, not borne out of spontaneous luck but earned through hard work, are there to speak for him. Some of his achievements in less than one year as President include: - *Upgrading of Akanu Ibiam Airport to International Status (Phase 1 has already been commissioned). Could this be sheer luck?
*Investments and reforms in the aviation sector have earned us a Category A rating by the American aviation authorities. Also two more airlines have joined in direct US-Nigeria route. Could this be sheer luck?
*Improved economy has resulted in growths of 7.3% (Source: IMF) in the last quarter and the country being rated the third fastest growing economy in the world behind China and India. This has led to improved investor confidence; an example is the choice of Nigeria by the world’s second largest Credit card Operator, MasterCard as its base for West/East Africa and the Indian Ocean. Could this be sheer luck?
*For the first time in our recent history, people are celebrating a major holiday like Christmas without queues at the filling station and at official pump price. Could this be luck?
*Sitting of new federal Universities in the states without any. Could this be sheer luck?
*New minimum wage of N18, 000 for workers. Could this be sheer luck?
*Over 2000 workers have gone back to work as a result of the Textile intervention fund he made available to jump-start the sector. Could this be sheer luck?
*In a bid to conduct free and fair elections, President Jonathan appointed men of impeccable pedigree (to which even the opposition commended) to conduct the elections. He also approved all that INEC
requested to do a thorough job in record time. Could this be sheer luck?
*In a bid to diversify the economy and tap in to the amazing potentials, President Jonathan made available $200 million life line for the entertainment industry and N500 billion bail-out for the Manufacturing industry. Could this be sheer luck?
*Commencement of design work for the Coastal Road Project. Could this be sheer luck?
*Approval for the design and construction of three new refineries. Could this be sheer luck?
*De-listing of Nigeria from the terror watch list and hard drugs watch list. Could this be sheer luck?
*In a bid to get our youths back to work, President Jonathan made provision 50 billion seed fund set aside in the 2011 Budget Presented to the National Assembly only last week to tackle unemployment through direct job creation and Investor support/collaboration. Could this be sheer luck?
The list could go on and on and it’s interesting that all these were achieved in less than one year. Calling these achievements a product of sheer luck could be like attributing Osain Bolt’s achievements at the last Olympic to sheer luck. Whatever we call good luck was spurred by hard work. So, if President Goodluck can through hard work bring good luck to Nigeria then let’s maximize and utilize this luck effectively by giving him a full term to entrench “good luck” in our system. Going by Thomas Jefferson’s
quote, the more hard work Goodluck puts in, the luckier Nigeria becomes. He’s done just that and is ready to do more. Good Luck Nigeria!
(Sibe is Strategy Coordinator of “The Jonathan Project”)
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