Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Nigerians to remain committed to nation-building, urging citizens not to give in to the growing trend of migration, popularly known as “Japa.” Jonathan emphasized that the challenges facing the country are not insurmountable and that collective effort is key to Nigeria’s progress.
Speaking over the weekend in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State during the commissioning of the Soybean Plant and Refinery of the CSS Group, Jonathan highlighted the importance of staying to develop the nation. The event also doubled as the birthday celebration of Prof. John Kennedy Opara, the former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC).
The occasion was graced by dignitaries such as former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, former Cross River State Governor Prof. Ben Ayade, former Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen, and Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, represented by his deputy.
Jonathan urged Nigerians to take responsibility for their homeland, citing the sacrifices made by citizens of other nations to develop their countries.
“You don’t need to Japa. Those countries you are running to were built by people. We must build this country together and invest in it so that the youths can get jobs. We must not run away from our responsibilities. This country belongs to all of us, and we must not abandon it,” he said.
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri echoed Jonathan’s message, encouraging Nigerians to remain hopeful. “There is hope in Nigeria. So those who want to Japa, please, don’t Japa. Nigeria is a blessed country. If we all key into what the private sector is doing, no one will Japa,” Diri stated.
In his address, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), turned the spotlight on Nigeria’s food security crisis, emphasizing the urgent need to tackle hunger fueled by high food price inflation.
“The level of hunger in Nigeria is too high due to very high food price inflation,” Adesina said. He stressed the need for robust policies to expand food production, lower food costs, reduce import dependency, and support local farmers.
Adesina recalled the achievements during his tenure as Minister of Agriculture under Jonathan’s administration, stating, “There is no doubt that Nigerian farmers can feed Nigeria. They did when I was Minister of Agriculture. The price of rice at the time was N8,000 per bag; today it is over N100,000 per bag.”
Adesina also highlighted ongoing efforts to address food security through the African Development Bank’s partnership with the federal government. The collaboration includes a $538 million programme aimed at developing special agro-industrial processing zones in eight states: Cross River, Imo, Oyo, Ogun, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, and the FCT.
“The second phase of the special agro-industrial processing zones will cover all remaining 28 states in Nigeria. The SAPZ-Phase II is planned with a financing target of $1 billion, from the African Development Bank, the Arab Bank for African Economic Development, and the private sector,” Adesina revealed.
The event served as a rallying cry for Nigerians to unite in addressing the country’s challenges. Jonathan’s appeal, combined with the optimism expressed by other leaders, emphasized the importance of perseverance and collaboration in building a prosperous nation.