Political offices are only for the earth - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan says the various public offices being held by individuals are only for the earthly journey. He notes that in the eyes of God, there is neither a President nor a messenger.


Jonathan spoke on Saturday when Vice President Namadi Sambo and the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, jointly led members of the Muslim community in the FCT to pay him sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said the situation should teach individuals to be humble and be kind to one another. The President said, “The Hajj is quite unique.

We just watched the people, who are performing on television, you see that everybody wear the same thing. “It showed that the kind of ranks we give to ourselves here are for the earthly journey. There, no president, no messenger. “That should teach us that we should be humble and be kind to ourselves in the spirit of the moment, giving gifts and that reminds us about the significance of the moment when Abraham was to sacrifice his son, the only one he had. Of course, the angel replaced him with a ram.

That is the essence of this period.” Jonathan said there were indications that the country under his watch had started getting over its challenges. He said the nation would definitely get to its desired place among the comity of nations because all obstacles currently on its way were temporary. He said this year’s Eid-el-Kabir was unique because the Arafat Day fell on a Friday and the celebration coincided with the nation’s centenary.

Jonathan said although the nation had its challenges, there would be light at the end of the tunnel. The President said, “For us as a nation, this period we should use it to charge ourselves, call on ourselves, encourage ourselves to continue to pray for the forgiveness of those who are doing things that are not religious and for Allah to see us through. “I believe in this country. I believe that Nigeria has a lot to offer not only to Nigerians but to the world and that surely we will get to where we want to go.

“Whatever obstacles we see are very ephemeral and part of history of nation building. If you read the history of all nations, there is no nation that does not pass through some challenges but they got over it and move ahead. I think we are getting over our problems”