African Leader Must Stop Making Life Difficult For Citizens - Jonathan

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African leaders to prioritize serving their people and not making life difficult for citizens.

He said this while speaking at the first edition of the African Heritage Concert and Awards in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday, the former President said leaders should be concerned about the legacies they leave behind.

Jonathan, who bagged the ‘African Democracy and Peace Icon Award’ at the event, called on African leaders to avoid turning themselves into “bosses of the people”.

The former president added that such leaders should be concerned about the legacies they are going leave behind.

“When you are called the executive president, we must run our country properly, not dehumanize human beings and make their lives difficult. What you should think is when you leave office, what will the world remember for?” he asked.

“Will the world remember you for killing people? Will the world remember you for jailing people, or will the world remember you for destroying their systems?

“What people will remember you for is what should guide our decisions, and I believe every leader should begin to think that when you leave office, one day you will be remembered one way or the other, positively or negatively.”

The organizers — Heritage Times (HT) — said the event was strategically packaged to celebrate and honor African greats who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavor and have made a sustainable global impact in promoting the continent.

Olumide Akpata, former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), snagged the ‘African Legal Icon Award’ while Hamzat Lawal, CEO of Connected Development got the ‘African Humanitarian Award’.

Simbi Wabote, executive secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), was also honored with the ‘Champion of Local Content Development in Africa Award’.