Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that a compromised judiciary and poor governance are driving away investors and damaging Nigeria’s global reputation.
Speaking at the Haske Satumari Foundation’s annual colloquium in Abuja, Jonathan criticised the inaction of key political players, particularly in resolving the ongoing crisis in Rivers State.
He likened their reluctance to act to an old Indian proverb: “If someone is truly asleep, you can wake them up. But if someone is pretending to be asleep, waking them up becomes impossible.”
He stressed that Nigeria’s political leaders—including those in the executive, legislature, and judiciary—know the right steps to take but are deliberately avoiding them.
Jonathan emphasised that no serious investor would risk putting money in a country where the judiciary is compromised and government officials can influence court judgments.
He warned that this lack of judicial independence makes Nigeria an unattractive destination for business and economic growth.
“The decisions of those in power have far-reaching consequences,” he said. “Many assume that our negative global perception is only due to cyber fraud or scams, but governance failures play a much bigger role.”
While Jonathan refrained from commenting directly on calls for a state of emergency in Rivers, his remarks pointed to a broader problem of governance negligence.
His statement about leaders “pretending to be asleep” suggested that those in power are deliberately ignoring solutions to political crises, including the one in Rivers.
“There’s an expectation that former presidents must always comment on the actions of sitting presidents,” he noted.
“However, it is a global practice for former leaders to avoid direct criticism of their successors to prevent political tensions.”
The event also featured discussions on governance, diversity, and inclusion.
Haske Satumari Foundation’s founder, Kudla Satumari, stressed the need for equity in national development, while Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang highlighted the importance of managing diversity to prevent conflicts.
Kenyan Senator Crystal Asige, delivering the keynote address, spoke on the systemic barriers faced by persons with disabilities (PWDs) in governance, politics, and economic life, calling for stronger enforcement of existing laws.
Jonathan’s remarks underscored a critical issue: Nigeria’s leadership is not unaware of the solutions to its problems, including the crisis in Rivers State. Instead, it is willfully ignoring them.
Until those in power stop “pretending to be asleep” and take decisive action, political instability and economic stagnation will persist—at great cost to the nation.
Video here: https://web.facebook.com/watch/?v=631847802963828
ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then 