President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured Nigerians that within the next 10 years, the country would have been positively transformed.
According to him, the transformation agenda of his administration was designed to bring the needed changes in the country to fruition.
Jonathan spoke when he received a Primatial award conferred on him by the Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, at the Presidential Villa.
“For me and the vice-president as well as the federal government, by the grace of God and the willingness of Nigerians, we will do our best to improve the quality of life of our people.
“We have our transformation agenda, it is not something we can do overnight, even if you have all the money in the world. If you want to build a six-storey building, you must give yourself a period of time to complete that project.
“We have drawn our map and we have progressed. I believe we are progressing in the right direction.
“For you to really build a society, you need to do things that are critical and continue to do them well.
“And if the government continues to do those things very well, it would not take a lifetime for this country to change. It would not take more than 10 years. Within a space of 10 years, you would see major changes.
“We are totally committed to doing our best to improve on the quality of life of our people. All what we require from you as spiritual fathers is to pray for us for God to give us the wisdom and mind to do what is right because it takes on God to lead.
“Without the fear of God, nobody can lead well. We are all humans. We are pushed into all kinds of situations. But if God is with you, no matter the challenges, no matter the circumstances you find yourself you will prevail,” Jonathan said.
He added that what had been paramount to him, was that God should use him to improve the country positively, stressing that nobody could predict his political journey, saying without God he would not have been president.
“Most people know about it, but maybe when I leave office, that is when I will tell the full story of my journey. But I believe very clearly that it is God that made it possible.
“To even be a deputy governor in the first place, not to talk about being a president. I promise I will do my best,” the president noted.
Recounting his growing up, Jonathan said he grew up as a member of the Anglican church.
“As at that time, it was only the Anglican church that was in my tiny village. But now, I don’t know the number of churches that are there. Almost all the classrooms are churches now. I have been a part of the church from the beginning.
“ I attended Anglican Primary School as a pupil. So I have to be very grateful to the Anglican Church that brought me up. I am what I am today because of the Anglican Church.
“I also use this opportunity to thank Christians and other religious bodies that constantly pray for this country. Our country is passing through challenges. The whole world is passing through challenges.
“Sometimes, when I listen to the news around the whole world, it reminds me about the Old Testament in days of fighting, fighting and fighting.
And I always ask: Do we stop fighting?
“But God has a reason for everything. I believe whatever is happening to Nigeria will be very temporary. We will go through the challenges. With your prayers, we will go through the challenges,” Jonathan said.
Earlier, Okoh explained that the award is conferred on those that exhibits commendable Christian stewardship.
He commended Jonathan for his determination at building a new Nigeria and gave kudos to the president, saying he had been distributing the resources of the nation fairly, equitably and with the fear of God.
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