Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reaffirmed his dedication to fostering peace and serving humanity, declaring he will continue this mission “until the last day I live on earth.” The pledge came during a Sunday reception in Abuja celebrating his recent Sunhak Global Peace Prize award in South Korea.
“My commitment to peace will continue,” Jonathan told attendees at the event organized by the “Friends of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.” “I believe that’s the only way I can serve God, by serving man.”
The former Nigerian leader reflected on his humble beginnings, noting how childhood hardships shaped his empathy for the suffering. “It was my desire to see that no Nigerian suffer any lack,” he said, acknowledging the challenges of completely eliminating hardship during his presidency (2010-2015).
The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi praised Jonathan’s legacy, stating: “We will continue to celebrate you for the sacrifice you made for this country to be at peace.” Obi highlighted Jonathan’s 2015 concession after electoral defeat as a defining moment for Nigerian democracy.
Ambassador Hassan Tukur, Jonathan’s former aide, detailed the ex-president’s peacebuilding efforts across Africa, including crisis interventions in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Kenya. “He is a humanist. A man of peace. A man of integrity,” Tukur emphasized.
The Sunhak Peace Prize – awarded April 11 in Seoul – recognizes Jonathan’s post-presidency work through his foundation and his historic 2015 concession that averted potential violence. He joins former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as laureates of the biennial award established in 2015.
Dignitaries at the Easter Sunday event included Dame Patience Jonathan, traditional rulers, and former government officials. The celebration underscored Jonathan’s enduring influence as a statesman committed to conflict resolution in Africa.
