Jonathan wins award, vows to work for Nigeria

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he will not relent in working for the democracy, peace and progress of Nigeria. Jonathan stated this on his Facebook page after being honoured with the President’s Award by an African-American civil rights organisation based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The 59-year-old organisation’s founder and first president was the renowned late American civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. SCLC’s National President/CEO, Charles Steel Jr., said on the organisation’s website that the award given to Jonathan was in recognition of his leadership in human rights, social justice and the universal fight for freedom. Thereafter, Jonathan wrote on his Facebook page that the award would inspire him to work for the advancement of democracy in Nigeria. He said, “I thank Dr. Charles Steele Jr, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and the executive of the SCLC for honouring me today (Thursday). “It was also a pleasure to meet Naomi King, the sister of the late American Civil Rights leader and founder of the SCLC, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who was kind enough to attend the event and identify with the goals and aspirations of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation. “By this award, I am further inspired to continue to work for the advancement of democracy, peace and progress in Nigeria and Africa.” Jonathan had last week won the African Sun Times’ 2015 International Person of the Year Award. “In 2015, despite challenges, we held violence-free elections that transferred power from one political party to another and from an incumbent to the opposition, without rancour, bitterness or strife. “In the process, we proved that nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian or any national of any country for that matter. That, to me, is a most worthy testimonial of the character of the Nigerian nation and the resilience of our people, which is why I dedicate this honour to them,” the former president had said after receiving the award.