By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to continue to devote his life to the promotion of peace and service to humanity in the country and across the globe.

Jonathan stated this on Sunday in Abuja at a reception organised by the “Friends of Dr Goodluck Jonathan” on his receiving the 2025 prestigious Sunhak Global Peace Prize Award in Seoul, South Korea.

The former president said that it has always being his desire to impact lives and promote peace in his space.

“I wouldn’t say much, but only to thank you and to reassure you that my commitment to peace will continue. I will continue to do my little best until the last day I will live on earth. I believe that’s the only way I can serve God, by serving man,” Jonathan said.

Jonathan said that though he suffered while growing up as a child because of his humble background, he always felt sad seeing people suffering or seeing a country going through crisis.

The former governor of Bayelsa added that it was his desire to see that no Nigerian suffer any lack, even though it was not so easy or possible for any president to achieve that.

“That has been my fear, and that was why I was very reluctant when I was approached to come to the centre, to be a vice president.

“I said, look, Bayelsa is a small state. Let me see what I can do with this small state, whether I can make significant changes, but today here I am,” he said.

Jonathan appreciated the organisers of the Sunhak Global Peace Prize Award for counting him worthy, saying I never expected it.

Jonathan also appreciated the organisers of the reception for the great honour, even though he initially declined it.

“I also appreciate all those who attended this reception. I have listened to the comments from all of you, and I can only say thank you for those good words. They are quite encouraging,” he said.

The 2023 Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, said that Nigeria would continue to celebrate Jonathan for the sacrifices he had made to make the country peaceful.

Obi, who was the Chairman of the occasion, said everybody knew what Jonathan represented and the hope he had brought to Nigeria’s democracy.

“There is no special day to celebrate this award than today Easter day which is a day of sacrifice. We will continue to celebrate you for the sacrifice you made for this country to be at peace.

“You have put in a lot of efforts to ensure there is peace in Nigeria, Africa and the world as a whole,” Obi said.

The Chief Host of the occasion, Azibaola Robert, said that the friends of Jonathan found it worthy to celebrate him for the global recognition.

Robert, an entrepreneur and Managing Director of Kakatar Group, described Jonathan as someone who has strong passion for peace.

He described the event as an appreciation to the pattern of life that Jonathan had lived and for the impact he had shown as a politician and a statesman.

Robert said that Jonathan, as a brother, has created a big character very hard to step in because every day there is a new lesson to gain from his presence.

He described the celebrant as a God-sent not only to his Bayelsa people but to Nigeria and the rest of the world.

Amb. Hassan Tukur, a former Principal Private Secretary to the former President described the Sunhak Global Peace Prize Award as well deserved.

He said that Jonathan had demonstrated his love for peace during the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Guinea-Bissau and many others countries across the globe, during and after his tenure as president of Nigeria.

He recalled how Jonathan led ECOWAS, AU and UN to restore peace in Côte d’Ivoire in the aftermath of crisis that followed the disputed 2010 presidential runoff election between former president Laurent Gbagbo and his former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara.

“Without President Jonathan’s intervention, the peace wouldn’t have been possible. He saved life, he saved people, and he saved the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire .

“Today, the country is one of the most peaceful countries in this sub-region.

“There was also crisis in Mali when Jonathan was in office. He was the only President that took his plane and went to Mali in the middle of crisis, sat down there for 12 hours negotiating with all the various interested parties.

“Up to date, the Malians are grateful that he was the only sitting president who visited their country in the height of their crisis and addressed their problems,” he said.

Tukur said that Jonathan also saved Kenya from going into war that would have claimed many lives in that country.

He said that even after leaving office, the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation was working hard to promote peace in the region.

“This honour is not only to former president Jonathan and his family, but to Nigerians and the country.

“He is a humanist. He is a man of peace. He is a man of integrity. And he is a man of foresight,” Tukur said.

Former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, described Jonathan as patriot and transformer, in which the country would continue to cherish his legacy and good examples.

“All Nigerians are delighted in this award, because Mr President, for all his days in power, both as governor of Bayelsa state and President of Nigeria, upheld the ethics of peace and national transformation.

“It is not easy to find in our clan, around this continent, a leader that will say the presidency of a nation is not worth the blood of the citizen.

“That statement was epochal and it stood him up. In 2015, he made a national sacrifice, he refused the fight. He handed back government, the first time in Nigeria that someone would lose an election and refuse to go to court.

“May the significance of this event, impact on our nation, and our search for peace in all communities in Nigeria, yield fruits with this recognition from far away South Korea,” he said.

Some of the dignities at the events includes Dame Patience Jonathan; King Amalate Turner, the paramount Ruler of the Oloibiri Kingdom in Bayelsa State; and Olori Opeoluwa Ogunwusi, Wife of Oni of Ife who conducted the toast.

Also present were former aides to Jonathan, former governors and former ministers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jonathan received the 2025 and sixth series of Sunhak Peace Award, organised by Sunhak Peace Prize Foundation in Seoul, South Korea on April 11.

Jonathan became the third person and the first African leader to win the category of the award, after former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon and Prime Minister of Cambodia, Mr Hun Sen.

He was recognised for his consistent mediations and pro-democracy activities to bring peace to the African continent.

Established in 2015, the biennial Sunhak Peace Prize honours individuals and organisations that have shown extraordinary services to global peace and well-being in the areas of sustainable human development, conflict resolution or ecological conservation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz