Jonathan: Adebanjo, Clark’s Courage, Wisdom, Love for Nigeria Knew No Bounds

*Atiku, Bai, George mourn

Segun James

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, has described the death of elder statesmen, Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark as great loss to Nigeria as a nation, saying they were men of courage and wisdom, whose love for the country and good Governance knew no bound.

The former president, said this in Lagos, when he paid a condolence visit to the Adebanjo family at his house in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, in company with former Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George.

He said Adebanjo was an upright man that was committed to the growth and development of Nigeria for the benefit of all, even as he noted that it was people like Adebanjo that made the 2014 conference he convened a success.
Jonathan said both Adebanjo and Clark worked together for the interest of Nigeria.

“Our dear leader was not the leader of Afenifere alone, he was a leader of this country. He was a man with enormous wisdom, courage and willingness to do the right thing for this country.
“He believed in truth and justice. No nation can grow when there is no truth and when there is no justice. Those were the things he was known for. We are not surprised that he led the Afenifere credibly well,” he said.

Jonathan said when a nation was not moving as expected, there was a need for a comprehensive dialogue.
He explained that, the composition of the 2014 conference was credible, saying, “I gave them total authority to discuss what is good for this country.

“I didn’t know that the issue of national conference would even come on board, without people like him and other leaders there, it wouldn’t have taken place because they thought initially I wanted to manipulate the system.
“I remember in the beginning when there were issues, some came to me, they said president we want to know if there were some areas you were interested in. I say look, I can’t even advise you, you are more experienced than me.

“You are the leaders, Supreme Court justices, more than 50 per cent of members were more experienced than me. It was benevolent privilege that made me to do that setting up the Confab,” h added.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described Adebanjo as a nationalist and patriot who believe in ‘One Nigeria’, adding that, he proved this by not being loyal to ethnic sentiments.

Abubakar, who said this yesterday when he also paid a condolence visit to the Adebanjo family, said he decided to visit the family over the loss of their patriarch because of the virtue Adebanjo preached and lived for all his life.
The former vice-president was accompanied by Dr. Abimbola Ogunkelu, Chief Dele Momodu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in 2023 governorship  election, Olajide AbdulAzeez Adediran (JANDOR); Captain Yahaya Abubakar and Captain Tunji Shelle, among others.

He noted that Adebanjo lived a worthy life that cannot really be compared with any other, added that his contributions to the country’s peaceful coexistence was quite worthy of emulation.
He described Adebanjo as a humble man that believed in the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians, and lived a life worthy of emulation, adding that, his death was  a monumental loss not only to his family and Nigeria but  to “those of us that have tried to emulate his kind of life and his belief in the unity of this country

Receiving the gusts alongside three other children of Adebanjo, Mr Obafemi Ayo-Adebanjo, appreciated Abubakar and his entourage for commiserating with the family, and more so that they still remember him for his good virtues when he is dead.