President Jonathan and the next four years

Business Day

2 May 2011

President Jonathan and the next four years

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan deserves congratulation for his victory at the presidential polls last month. However, we also know that the congratulation will not take him very far. Nigerians elected him because he represented hope and the future of Nigeria that want to see.

The expectations of Nigerians from the president are huge because they represent fifty years of slow growth, excruciating poverty, growing unemployment, sporadic ethnic and religious violence, and a very shallow democracy.

We also believe the violence that trailed the president's victory should humble him. The violence reflects everything that is wrong with Nigeria and the security of lives and property in some parts of the country. It reflects how . It reflects sometimes deep seated hatred that some Nigerians have for some other Nigerians.

This is the Nigeria inherited by the Jonathan presidency and the manner and shape he deals with all these problems will determine how posterity sees him.

However, Mr. President will do well to focus on Nigeria's enormous opportunities, rather than the litter of problems. There are enormous economic opportunities for increasing employment, increasing foreign direct investment, and the building of first class infrastructure in the country. However, these opportunities will not be realised if the new president continues to behave like others before him who condoned corruption, waste, and inefficiency in government. Corruption, waste and inefficiency ensures that government resources are not optimally used and that Nigerians do not receive adequate value for the country's resources.