Prioritise running your country properly, not making lives difficult, Jonathan tasks African leaders

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on African leaders to prioritise making their country a better place after leaving rather than making life difficult for the citizens.

Jonathan who was speaking at the maiden edition of the African Heritage Concert and Awards in Kigali, Rwanda on Saturday, said the leaders should be concerned about how they are remembered after leaving office.

The former president bagged the ‘African Democracy and Peace Icon Award’ at the event,

“When you are called the executive president, our duty is to run our country properly, not to dehumanize human beings and make their lives difficult. What you should think is when you leave office, what will the world remember for?” he asked.

“Will the world remember you for killing people? Will the world remember you for jailing people, or will the world remember you for destroying their systems?

“What people will remember you for is what should guide our decisions, and I believe every leader should begin to think that when you leave office, one day you will be remembered one way or the other, positively or negatively.”

Other awardees at the event were former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Olumide Akpata who bagged the ‘African Legal Icon Award’ while CEO of Connected Development Hamzat Lawal won the ‘African Humanitarian Award’.

Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, also won the ‘Champion of Local Content Development in Africa Award’.