President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday led top government functionaries to pay tribute to the late South African President, Nelson Mandela at a special service held in his honour at the Aso Villa Chapel, Abuja.
He particularly extolled the first black President of South Africa for his humility, sacrifice and selflessness, saying the virtues are worthy of emulation by the present crop of leaders on the continent.
“One other spirit that was unique about him was his humility. He did not take credit alone for the achievement made by the group. In contrast, some of our politicians speak as if Nigeria is their bedroom from where they make proclamation and intimidate others”.
President Jonathan decried the dictatorial attitude of Nigerian politicians who he said are never cautious of their utterances as they continue to speak as if they own the country.
He said many great politicians in Nigeria are dictators and lack all the qualities of great leader like Mandela.
President Jonathan said he never met Mandela, but posited that Madiba had shown that one can be a politician and still be truly great by putting the interest of his nation and the people first before his personal interest.
He berated Nigeria political class, saying “if you listen to those of us who are politicians in Nigeria from all political parties, am here, Senate President is here, the Deputy Speaker is here, incidentally we are all from PDP but if you listen to those of us who are politicians, from all the political parties, the way we talk, some of us see as if Nigeria is their personal bedroom, that they have control over.
“If you read the papers listen to the radio, the television, some of us even see ourselves as if we are tiny gods, we intimidate, we threaten, we show hate in our communication, these are not the virtues of great me. They are certainly the vices of tiny men”.
“Sometimes when I listened to politicians, the ones older than me, my contemporaries, and even the younger ones, I come to the painful conclusion that it is probably easier for the camel to pass through the eye of the needle than for a politician to be truly great”
“I always look at the word great with some kind of sceptism because making a great name is not just enough, you could see it especially in the political circle, we have so many great names that are dictators, with repressive and oppressive governments that sent a lot of people to detention, some people become extremely notorious but they have made great names and so to be truly great is key.
“Nelson Mandela was a rare character that those of us who are politicians need to learn from so that we will imbibe some of these traits and do better for our country”.
The President also spoke on why Nigeria is celebrating the late South African leader, noting that Nigeria has strong relationship with South Africa having played key role during the anti- apartheid struggle, which Mandela championed.
“We saw the pain of South Africans as our pain, we saw their struggle as our own struggle and when apartheid collapse, and we saw their victory as our own victory.
“That is why the Madiba, the symbol of the apartheid struggle passed on, we believe South Africans are feeling the pains and sorrow but at the same time they are celebrating Nelson Mandela and we believe Nigeria must join them and support them,” he said.
Senate President David Mark, in his tribute, called on African leaders to work towards economic independence, saying Mandela lived and died for Africa.
According to Mark, Mandela did not only live and die for South Africa, but he also led in the struggle for Africa to become democratically independent.
In his tribute, the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Louis Mnguni, who noted that “despite its own numerous challenges, Nigeria has not taken its eyes off South Africa.
The First Lady, Patience Jonathan took the first bible lesson from Psalm 100: 1-5 while the second lesson was read Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihediora from Luke17: 11-19.
Others in attendance were the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Reverend Matthew Kukah; Archbishop of Abuja and Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh and representatives of the Pope in Nigeria. They offered special prayers for Nigeria and South Africa.
