The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has insisted that the former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan is the best president the nation has ever had.
Mohammed said this in a remark when Jonathan paid him a condolence visit over the loss of his elder brother.
Bala’s elder brother, who was also the Yeriman Duguri, died last Sunday, at the age of 69 at a Turkish hospital in Turkiye, after a prolonged illness.
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Jonathan, who landed at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi, at 9.45 am, was received by the deputy governor of the state, Senator Baba Tela, as well as other top government officials.
The former president was also in company with the former executive secretary of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Kennedy Opara, and a former chief whip of the House of Representatives, Bawa Bwari. He was later received by governor Mohammed at the Ramat House, Bauchi.
The governor in his remarks said:
“You remain the best thing to have happened to this country called Nigeria. Your selfless service and sacrifice has made Nigeria greater than how you met it.
“Many are now struggling to become the next president of Nigeria but no one can match your qualities. You were outstanding, you gave the best to the country which will be difficult to equal by anyone.
“They are striving to be president but you are the best president Nigeria has ever had. The tall, the short, the young and the old, everybody from across the country have remained part of your family which is a manifestation of the kind of good leadership qualities that you possess.”
The governor added:
“You are part and parcel of us in Bauchi but your position and achievements are beyond me, Bauchi State or anybody. As somebody had said, you have carved a niche for yourself as a humane and simple leader, a leader who lives very well, who lives peacefully with people. For someone like me, I’ve always looked to cherish our relationship since I came to national limelight and prominence through your benevolence and act of Allah.
“We hardly had anything in common even at party level but because of nationality and patriotism placed in your heart and the need to create unity you made me come to national relevance and limelight. Even my late brother recognised your benevolent posture.
“With humility, through your office, we built over 10,000 millionaires in Nigeria, through your benevolence we have helped so many people, there are so many people who rose during your tenure. This is the extension of the goodwill you have created across the board. You gave me trust and I will always remember that you did that without my input, without anyone talking to you on my behalf.
“Your sense of mentoring needs to be emulated, your capacity for leadership recruitment has not been surpassed. It is not because I want to boost your ego, but, we have to say it for many people to copy.”
The former FCT minister further mentioned that:
“One of my elder brothers will always tell me to copy you, but I am struggling to copy you and to be like you . You are patient, intelligent and focused. Let no one misunderstand your gentility because you can take decisive decisions when the need arises and they will be taken by surprise.
“You can still do so much for Nigeria by your status of statesmanship. We believe that our presidential candidate and all other presidential candidates will gain from your wealth of experience because everywhere in Africa and indeed across the world, you have been called for one assignment or the other. We are proud of that. May Allah further elevate you and one day, bring you back as the president of Nigeria.”
Jonathan in his condolence speech said:
“It is a solemn moment to pay a condolence but one would have loved to visit here to commission a project. We are mortals and must die one day. I am here to condole a younger brother who lost his elder brother.
“Nobody knows the date of his death, unlike when a woman is pregnant and the expectant parents will guess the date of delivery. He has come and Allah has called him back, there is nothing we can do about that only to pray for fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
“The world is just a stage where we all came to play different parts. One thing though is that people leave when the ovation is loudest leaving behind things that will make people to remember them. Our late brother had played his part, he’s gone but left behind good things to remember him for.”
The deceased was a former deputy director at the Central Bank of Nigeria before his retirement about ten years ago. He left behind a wife, five children, and two brothers.
