Goodluck Jonathan’s Easter Message: ‘Nigerians Are Not Animals’

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has felicitated with Christians in Nigeria as they commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

Jonathan, who preached love and togetherness among Nigerians, said all citizens regardless of their religious backgrounds must learn to tolerate each other.

The former president equally said “Nigerians are not animals”, noting that “we are perhaps some of the most decent, Godly and accommodating people on God’s earth.”

Jonathan’s statement may have stemmed from the utterance by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, Tolu Ogunlesi, who in a tweet on Friday described Nigerians as animals.

Mr Ogunlesi had tweeted: “Naomi Campbell met Nelson Mandela more than once. He hugged her, called her his “honorary granddaughter”. She visits Nigeria for a fashion festival and meets President Muhammadu Buhari, and some of you animals are slandering her. YOU’RE RAVING MAD WITH NOBODY TO TELL YOU.” The presidential aide said this in response to those criticising his principal’s recent trip to Lagos State.

But in his Easter message to the citizens, Jonathan said: “On this Easter Sunday, I urge all Nigerians to show love and tolerance for each other, especially for those God has seen fit to put in positions of influence.

“Leaders should imbibe the qualities of our Lord and Saviour, whose resurrection we celebrate. Even though He was heavily reviled and criticized, He never retaliated and even prayed for those who reviled Him.

“Nigerians ARE NOT ANIMALS. Together, we are perhaps some of the most decent, Godly and accommodating people on God’s earth. We must never forget that. He is risen and Nigeria will also rise. Happy Easter Sunday,” he said in a Facebook post.