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Revisiting The Lies They Told You About Dr. Goodluck Jonathan – Reno Omokri
If some Nigerians can stop being emotional and historical revisionists and just look at the data, they will see without a shadow of a doubt that Goodluck Jonathan was their best President ever.
I am not saying he was the bravest President or had the most clout. No. He was not a military dictator or a fascist civilian leader, who bent the rules to suit himself. And he was very tolerant. Perhaps even too trusting.
But in terms of delivering on the progress of Nigeria, he outperformed every other Nigerian President or leader before or after him.
And when Nigerians allowed themselves to be manipulated against him by the sleek PR machine that sold their worst punishment (Muhammadu Buhari) to them as their best medicine, the man did not put up a fight. He simply left the power, to the shock of people like Rotimi Amaechi, who was preparing for violence, and left the scene for Otuoke.
Now, let us consider some facts:
In security, according to the Global Peace Index, Nigeria was more peaceful under Jonathan.
In the economy, under Jonathan in 2014-2015, Nigeria was the third fastest growing economy in the world after China and Qatar, according to the World Bank, the IMF and CNNMoney, with a GDP growth of above 6%.
In agriculture, the first and only time Nigeria significantly rolled back hunger was under Jonathan in 2013, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute.
On the Human Development Index, according to the United Nations Development Programme, Nigeria made her best performance in increasing life expectancy under Jonathan, when the average life span in Nigeria increased from 47 to 52. An addition of five years per individual.
In Foreign Direct Investment, the Jonathan administration gave Nigeria an unprecedented GDP growth of 6.67% in 2013 and 6.31% in 2014 because of their policies that promoted foreign direct investment and free trade, to the extent that under Jonathan, Nigeria was the top FDI destination in Africa, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
On world standing, Nigeria became Africa’s largest economy after our economy was rebased in 2014. The rebasing saw Nigeria’s GDP grow from ₦42.3tn in 2013 to ₦80.3tn, equivalent to $509.9 Billion. In eight wasteful years of Buhari, $100 billion of that amount was wiped out.
In terms of infrastructure, Nigeria initiated, started and completed her single largest infrastructure in its history when the Jonathan government delivered the super-fast 187-kilometre Abuja-Kaduna railway.
In education, Dr. Jonathan built 14 new Federal Universities and 165 almajiri schools, mainly in Northern Nigeria.
In youth development, he gave grants of $50,000 to 3,600 youths to start or expand businesses via the YouWIN program.
Finally, under then President Jonathan, Nigeria made her best ever improvement on the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index till date in 2014, moving from 144 the previous year to 136, an 8 point improvement.
No other administration before then achieved that feat, and no other government afterwards has repeated it.
You may also recall that on February 1, 2021, Transparency International’s most recent Corruption Perception Index revealed that Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was under the previous administration, having moved 13 places backwards in the CPI, from 136 in 2014 to 149 in 2021 (our worst performance ever).
So, please, I would not tolerate revisionists trying to spin history and repeat the lies that people like Tolu Ogunlesi, Nasir El-Rufai, Omoyele Sowore, David Axelrod, Chude Jideonwu, Pastor Tunde Bakare, and Lai Mohammed, amongst others, used to railroad that administration.
The reason why Nigeria went through eight years of hell was because of these characters, who sold their conscience to the devil and used their writing to destroy a man who did and meant well for Nigeria.
Reno Omokri
“Conversion to CNG May Have Contributed to Deadly Inferno”
A devastating road accident occurred on [date] at G-Hostel Junction, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, leaving multiple lives lost. An 18-seater bus caught fire, resulting in the tragic loss of passengers.
According to eyewitnesses, the bus driver had recently converted the vehicle’s fuel system from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). While the exact cause of the accident is still unknown, concerns are being raised about potential safety risks associated with the CNG conversion.
The accident resulted in the deaths of all passengers on board, with bodies burnt beyond recognition. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with many offering condolences to the families of the victims.
Authorities have commenced an investigation into the accident to determine its cause and whether the CNG conversion played a role in the tragedy. The public is urged to remain vigilant and cautious when traveling.
Our thoughts are with the families of the victims during this difficult time. May their souls rest in peace.
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command has said it’s operatives were still investigating the alleged murder of Miss Priscilla Ocheme by her boyfriend, Ekosuehi Elvis, also known as Richard at his residence in Lugbe.
The command made the disclosure, while reacting to publications circulating on social media concerning the alleged murder incident and claims that justice may be swept under the carpet.
The Police said: “The suspect was invited for questioning by operatives of the FCT Police on September 24, 2024.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, Ekisuehi Elvis, a 30-year-old man from Oredo, Benin in Edo State, met the now deceased Priscilla at Madonna University.
“He lost contact with her when he left the university until 2019 when he came to the FCT for his youth service.
“He was a well-known family friend who frequently visited the deceased at her family home, just as she visited his.
“On September 22, 2024, she had a minor misunderstanding with her mother, which led her to leave her family home in the Karu area and go to Ekosuehi’s residence to cool off.”
“She eventually left his residence later that evening and was on her way home when she was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident at the Amala Moore junction in Pyakasa.
“They rushed her to Pyakasa Health Centre for medical attention, after which she was referred to the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, accompanied by two police detectives.
“Upon arrival at the medical centre, she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.”
The price of a bag (50 kg) local rice rose year-on-year, YoY, by 152.9 percent to N95,738 in September 2024 from N37,853 in September 2023.
According to vanguard news, data from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, ‘Selected Food Price Watch’ for September 2024 showed that the price of 1 kilogram (Kg) of local rice stood at N1,914.77 during the period.
The report also showed that the price of beans recorded higher growth rate at over 200 percent, YoY.
The NBS report stated: “The average price of 1kg Local rice sold loose went up by 152.92 percent on a year-on-year basis from N757.06 in September 2023 to N1,914.77 in September 2024, while there was an increase of 4.57 percent on a month-on-month basis.
“Also, the average price of 1kg of beef boneless increased by 99.99 percent on a year-on-year basis from N2,816.91 in September 2023 to N5,633.60 in September 2024.
“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 1.44 percent from N5,553.80 in August 2024. The average price of 1kg beans brown (sold loose) stood at N2,738.59. This indicates a rise of 281.97% in price on a year-on-year basis from N716.97 recorded in September 2023 and a 6.37 percent rise in price on a month-on-month basis from N2,574.63 in August 2024.
“Agric eggs medium size (12 piece) experienced significant price increases year on year by N137.43 percent from N1,047.47 in September of last year (2023) to N2,487.04 in September 2024.
“On a month-on-month basis, the average price of this item rose by 8.64 prices from N 2,289.19 in August 2024. There was also a notable price increase of bread (sliced) by 115.74 percent on a year-on-year basis from N708.36 in September 2023 to N1,528.19 in September 2024.
“On a month-on-month basis, it increased by 4.68 percent from N 1,459.85 in August 2024. The state profile analysis in September 2024 revealed that the highest average price of 1kg of Bean Brown (sold loose) was recorded in Bauchi at N3,450.04 while the lowest was in Adamawa state at N1,800.”
Giving the breakdown of prices across the states, NBS added: “The highest average price of Agric eggs medium size (12 piece) was recorded in Niger State at N3,000.84 while the lowest was in Borno State at N2,075.58.
