How Goodlucks Smile On Jonthan
The birth of a child brings joy and happiness not just to the parent but to the whole family. A child does not partake or determine what name he or she is to be known with or called. This is the exclusive preserve of the parents and family to decide.
Jonathan flanked by his kids
Parents give names to their new infants for many reasons. The common reason is for identify but there is more to that. Names are given to children based on circumstances surrounding the birth of the child.
So, in the case of the former president Goodluck Jonathan, his first name Goodluck might have been carefully chosen for some reasons, since his parents were into canoe making.
More so, they might have wanted the child to find luck and not just any kind of luck but goodluck in future. If going by his first name, Goodluck, it will be agreed that a child that did not have shoe to go the school had providence smiling on him.
Naij.com brings to you the fives goodlucks in Jonathan
1. The Mystery Around His Name
There is this popular saying among Nigerians that one man’s failure is another man’s success.
There are some myths surrounding the name, Goodluck. These myths date back from when he was still in secondary school. It was said that while he was in his final year, he happened to be the assistant head boy of his school. He later became the head boy at the demise of the previous head boy.
Then, as the deputy governor of Bayelsa state, providence came smiling on him when his then boss, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was impeached by the state House. In December 2005, Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as the governor of Bayelsa state.
Again, as the vice president, he was made the acting president through a motion from Nigerian Senate tagged doctrine of necessity, when the president, Yar’Adua was hospitalized in a Saudi Arabian hospital in November, 2009. At the death of late president Umaru Yar’Adua on May 5, 2010, Goodluck Jonathan became the 14th head of state of Nigeria on May 6, 2010.
2. First Elected President From South South
Nigeria is divided into six political zones of North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East and South-South for easy political administration and for power sharing.
Since Nigeria’s independence in October 1,1960, not a single person from the South-South has been elected president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Even, military head of state eluded the zone during the infamous period of military rule.
However, the jinx was broken by Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. Goodluck smiled on Jonathan as he won not just the keenly contested Peoples Democratic Party nomination by beating well established politicians like the former vice president Atiku Abubakar, he went on to win the poll in landline victory against his arch-rival, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the defunct, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). Jonathan polled 22,495,185 (58.89%) while Buhari got 12,214,853 (31.98%).
By this victory, Goodluck Jonathan became the first elected president of Nigeria from the South-South zone. There were rumours that some parents at that time named their male children ‘Goodluck’. Perhaps, they wanted providence to also smile on their children’s fortune as it did with Jonathan
3. Good Luck Smiles On Nigeria Sport
Nigerian sport men and women won more laurels in Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. The Super Eagles won Africa Cup of Nation (AFCON) in South Africa. This winning came after 19 years that the country had to wait to achieve this feat. As if that was not enough, the nation U-17 team won FIFA U-17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates.
Nigeria had the best performance at the Commonwealth Games and the World Athletic Championship. Team Nigeria at 2012 summer Paralympics, where our men and women athletes did the country proud by winning 6 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze.
This is what one of Nigeria’s finest sport personalities, John Fashanu, said about Jonathan’s sport achievement: “All these happened because he was really a lucky president and most importantly, he created an enabling atmosphere for sports men and women to strive because of the way he normally appreciate them when they return [from major sport competition].”
These are just few of the good luck that shone on the country’s sport during Jonathan’s tenure.
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