Jonathan’s Illness Exposes Nation’s Need For Healing By Our Correspondent — Aug 24, 2014 | 1 Comment The concealed state of health of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is on medical treatment in Germany, has reinforced an urgent need for the nation’s healing in the areas of unity, socio-cultural cohesion and strengthening of enduring bridges of understanding. Less than 10 hours after LEADERSHIP Weekend’s exclusive story on the medical visit that was masked as a private trip by Presidency officials, online reactions to the publication exposed the deep regional, political and religious sentiments in the country. Commentators were sharply divided along such lines. Jonathan’s trip to Germany had elicited suspicion and speculations on Thursday night when his spokesman Reuben Abati issued a terse statement announcing the visit to the European country as the president was scheduled to host members of the just concluded national conference on Thursday night at the presidential villa. LEADERSHIP Weekend had made frantic but fruitless efforts to get Abati or Doyin Okupe to confirm whether or not the nation’s leader was hospitalised in Germany. This is even as the Presidency has remained silent on the real reason for the president’s trip to Germany. Readers who reacted to the story were unsparing in their comments either negatively or positively to the president’s state of health and the irony of sacking 16,000 resident doctors and then going to Germany for medical health. The comments further highlighted the sorry state of the nation’s health infrastructure and the need for increased attention to it. Comments stressing the irony of the president’s visit to Germany include the one from Tinu Joshua Gani who said: “I wish Mr President well, but why should a president of a country with capable doctors in his country be flown abroad for medical treatment. Is it because he has refused to equip d hospitals with necessary equipment n manpower? Nelson Mandela died @ 95. He was never taken to any foreign country for medical care because their hospitals were equipped with what they needed. That’s one of d reasons Nigerians doctor r on strike.” Khadija Bello Ibrahim: After sacking 16,000 medical doctors of the nation he can conveniently fly to Germany for medical care at the expense of the government; if Germany had allowed their healthcare system to rot like ours where would he go for medicare? Clueless leader. Askira Umar: Just yesterday Chukwu said six FG hospitals will be privatised; so they know we don’t have good health facility; that’s why they want to further worsen the situation for common man. GOD is watching you and He decides our living. You r ruling people and not animals, my president. Hayatuddeen Jafar: He doesn’t even trust our doctors; he suspended them and now he is ill, he immediately went to Germany. What about the poor ones who don’t have money to go to Germany? Instead to fulfil the doctor’s demand and continue saving people’s lives, but he his killing the health sector and those stupid Igbos backing him. Why doesn’t he stay in his country to be treated? Is he afraid of death? Sooner or later, you will die for the sake of innocent people you killed for political purposes. SuleimanNdiriza: Where would he have gone if Angela Merkel sacked 16,000 doctors? Ojulewa Festus Bamidele: If over the years the authorities in Germany neglected their health sector the way ours is being neglected, where will he have a reason to be flown there? Why don’t we concentrate on building a virile health system here so that other countries’ nationals would come here for treatment too? Anyway, wish him well. The sharp religious and regional divide within the country found expression in those who wish for the president not to return from Germany and those who fervently offered prayers of healing for him. Most from the north were unsparing in the condemnation of the president’s alleged shoddy handling of the affairs of the country, while some from the east and west were tolerant of his reign. Some of the moderate ones, irrespective of religious or regional divide, simply prayed for the president safe return. Some of the comments along that direction include the one from Mukhtar Abubakar who said, “This man’s health will determine the future of Nigerians; what is presently on ground is, Nigerians are suffering. If Nigerians will continue to suffer, I pray this man should never come back to Nigeria alive. Final. Usman Haruna Sarki: I wish our president a fast recovery…May Allah protect our country and d great people of Nigeria. Ameen Olatunde Folorunsho: Pls I may not like Mr President but we can only pray to God to give us a good leader, not to wish him bad luck. Islam doesn’t support this, pls Muslim brothers. Abbas Jibril Haliru: No matter who he is or what he does, he is our leader and we must pray for God’s guidance for him… To those saying he should die… if u think Jonathan is d problem of Nigeria, then I’m sorry, but u better visit a psychiatrist b4 ur madness gets out of control. I rest my case…….safe trip Presido. Ibrahim Ilyas Khalil: I wish our president quick recovery and Allah’s protection and I also pray he returns to Nigeria hale and hearty with full energy to discharge his sacred duty as our president by taking care of all Nigerians – ameen ya Allah! Chikwelu Daniel: I wish u quick recovery my president… Oloba Promise: It is never a good thing to wish any fellow human dead; I advise anyone doing this to ask God for forgiveness before the reverse becomes the case.My dear president, God will give you the strength to continue IJN (Amen). Badamasi Babangida: He has a soul and, in that regard, we wish him as a fellow human being quick recovery; but to him and his govt may GOD not allow the type of GEJ GOVT to happen in Nigeria again — who accepts stealing is not corruption, missing billions of dollars, excessive debts, unemployment, bad economy and massive looting. GOD, we beg u not to give us evil leader like GEJ that will lead us to hardship. Amin. Ukie Ifeanyi Idam I wish my president quick recovery, if this rumour is true. But if it’s not, may those who wish you ill and death face same. President Jonathan is the best thing that has ever happened to Nigeria since the Tafawa Balewa\Zik regime. I will keep praying for you, sir. God will guide and protect you for us. For some, the story as broken by LEADERSHIP newspaper gave them the opportunity to also express their opinion on the paper. Chris Stephens Cosley said: “If this is not merely the same journalism of bitterness which LEADERSHIP newspaper is known for, then their ‘phantom sources’ in the Villa must have lost direction and every sense of decency. It is quite disheartening that, in this 21st century, a journalist would sit down and begin to create ‘’news’’ meant to brainwash those who swallow media content hook and sink without any critical examination. If President Jonathan is actually sick and needed medical attention, what’s the big deal? He is a human like all of us. So stop creating this unnecessary tension and needless air of uncertainty.” Surprisingly, since the story was broken by LEADERSHIP, there has been a resounding silence from those expected to speak for the president. Both Dr Reuben Abati and Doyin Okupe have maintained silence, neither picking phone calls nor replying email and text messages sent to them. For the second day, attempts to get reaction from Dr Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media, wasn’t successful as mails sent to his mailbox remain ed unanswered. Likewise, calls put through to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe were not answered. By leadership newspaper
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 13:37:45 +0000
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