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President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday said that despite some positive steps taken by his administration in placing the country on the right track, transformation of the nation cannot be achieved overnight.

The president  spoke when he received Primatial award   conferred on him by Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Anglican Church,  Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, “We have our transformation agenda, it is not something we can do overnight even if you have all the money in the world. If you want to build a six-storey building, you must give yourself a period that must be a time for you to complete that project.

“We have drawn our map and we have progressed. I believe we are progressing in the right direction.

“For you to really build a society, you need to do things that are critical and continue to do them well. And those things we now changed the world that we are. If we take issues of econony, transport infrastructure, those things that will improve on the economy.

“And if the government continues to do those things very well, it would not take a lifetime for this country to change. It would not take more than ten years. Within a space of ten years, you would see major changes.

“For me and the vice president as well as the federal government, by the grace of God and the willingness of Nigerians, we will do our best to improve the quality of lives of our people” he said.

President Jonathan said he is  committed to doing his  best to improve on the quality of lives of nigerians and called on the religious leaders to pray for “God to give us the wisdom and mind to do what is right because it takes on God to lead.

“Without the fear of God, nobody can lead well. We are all humans. We are pushed into all kinds of situations. But if God is with you, no matter the challenges, no matter the circumstances you find yourselves” Jonathan said.

President Jonathan said the full story of his political journey can only be told after he has left office.

“Most people know about it, but maybe when I leave office, that is when I will tell the true story of my journey. But I believe very clearly that it is God that made it possible. To even be a deputy governor in the first place, not to talk about being a president. I promise I will do my best” the president noted.

Recounting his growing up, Jonathan said he  grew up as a member of the Anglican Church.

“As at that time, it was only Anglican Church that was at my tiny village. But now, I don’t know the number of churches that are there. Almost all the classrooms are churches now. I have been a part of the church from the beginning.

”I attended Anglican Primary School as a pupil. So I have to be very grateful to the Anglican Church that brought me up. I am what I am today because of the Anglican Church.

“Sometimes, when I listen to the news around the whole world, it reminds me about the Old Testament in days of fighting, fighting and fighting.

And I always ask: Do we stop fighting?

“But God has a reason for everything. I believe whatever is happening to Nigeria will be very temporary. We will go through the challenges. With your prayers, we will go through the challenges” Jonathan said.

Earlier, Okoh explained that the award is conferred on those that exhibits commendable Christian stewardship.

He commended jonathan for his determination at building an equitable country that would be fair and just to all its citizens.


Credit: Vanguard Nigeria