Abuja – President Goodluck
Jonathan on Sunday urged politicians to emulate the Late Dr Nelson Mandela’s
politics of humility, peace and reconciliation as against that of bitterness
and character assassination.
Jonathan made this call at a
Memorial Service in Honour of Mandela, former President of South Africa, held
at the Aso Rock Chapel, Abuja.
He said Mandela was filled with
humility, spirit of forgiveness and the ability to unite people.
“This is in contrast with the
utterances of Nigerian politicians who speak as if Nigeria is their bedroom
from where they make unguarded utterances and intimidate others’’, he said.
He stressed that politicians had
been threatening, boasting and attempting to play little gods by virtue of
their positions. “They are no more than tiny men.’’
According to him, with such
attitude, it will be easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for a politician to achieve greatness.
The President decried the
attitude of such politicians bent on over heating the polity.
He harped on the need for all
politicians to always exhibit the virtues of leadership that Mandela worked for
and exhibited.
Jonathan said government
declared three days mourning for Mandela because Nigeria played key role in
South African anti-apartheid liberation struggle and to remind everyone of
their links with fellow Africans
He, therefore, called on all
Nigerians to pray for the repose of the soul of Mandela.
Senate President David Mark
enjoined Africans to fight for economic independence and democracy.
He said Mandela lived and died
for Africa.
He added that with Mandela’s
popularity, he would have achieved a united Africa.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto,
Matthew Kukah, stressed the need to remember those who fought with Mandela.
He urged African leaders to
continue to fight social and institutional injustices across the continent as a
way of paying tribute to Mandela.
The South African Ambassador to
Nigeria, Mr Chris Mamazulu, narrated the history of Mandela during and after
the anti-apartheid liberation struggle in South Africa.
He thanked the people and
government of Nigeria for their support to his country during the apartheid
era.
Mamazulu expressed delight over
the ongoing economic partnership between South African businessmen and their
Nigerian counterparts.
In his sermon, the preacher,
Bishop David Ibiyomi, who spoke on “Attitude of Gratitude’’, said “100 percent
of whatever happens to us is our attitude.’’ (NAN)
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