President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that intimidation and threats by some politicians in the country cannot make them great like great leaders across the globe like the late Nelson Mandela.
He made the remark while making a tribute to late Nelson Mandela during the special inter-denominational memorial service held in his honour at the Aso Villa Chapel in the State House, Abuja.
Unlike Mandela, he pointed out that many politicians in Nigeria resort to intimidation, threats and show of force in their communication.
According to him, it would be difficult for a politician to be truly great than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle.
He said: “In-fact, if you listen to those of us who are politicians, from all political parties, the way we talk, some of us speak as if Nigeria is their personal bedrooms that they have control over.”
“Read the papers, listen to the radio and televisions and the social media and see how politicians talks, we intimidate, we threaten, show force in our communication, these definitely not the virtue of great men. They are certainly the vices of tiny men.”
“Sometimes when I listen to politicians, the ones older than me, my contemporaries and some even the younger ones, I come to the painful conclusion that it would be probably easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a politician to be truly great.”
“So for today that we are celebrating the great son of Africa, Nelson Mandela, who by all standards has been accepted by the whole world, we should be concerned about the kind of comments people make about us.” He added
Stressing that the problem is not limited to Nigeria alone, he said: “But I always look at the word greatness with some kind of pessimism, because making a great name is not just enough because even at the political circle, we have so many great names that are dictators, ran a very very repressive and oppressive government that sent a lot of
people into repression, some people became extremely notorious but they have made big names, so to be truly great is key, and Nelson Mandela is one rare person.”
Source: The Nation
