OPINION

As President Goodluck Jonathan resigns 

Fellow Nigerians... Surrender is not defeat. I do not know how to start this, but I have started it and indeed starting is what matters. There's always a first time and this is the first time, it is not just going to be the first time in Nigeria, but Africa.

Few years ago, I was just an ordinary me, gradually by the twist of fate, destiny and whether we believe it or not, by God--I became deputy governor, soon I was governor and then I was vice president, and I soon became acting president.

I recall too well, all the goodwill, all the efforts, the save Nigeria group, the human and my apologies inhuman rights community who fought the cabal and then without shoes despite the irregularities you voted me overwhelmingly and I became your president.

You would note this is my first time acknowledging that Jega's INEC wasn't perfect but I still won.

I have always had Nigeria at heart, over 160million of you. But what could I have done, with moles everywhere, a party like the PDP, and with opposition like (need I mention), all willing to sell the soul of this nation for a mere spoonful of porridge.

I am the least the problem of Nigeria. I agree that I am your president, but the truth is that you are the problem. Yes, Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria...

In the few years I have been president. I have seen things, I have seen how the fertilizer cartel operates, I have watched on as Boko Haram ravages the North, because of a few and the price we have paid and keep paying for long time neglect of our people.

Each Wednesday I have supervised all sorts of contract awards, not once have I seen an Ibo in my cabinet fight a Muslim or an Hausa man fight a Christian for contracts hardly executed and by companies acting as fronts for same people that criticize me.

It hurts me as I address you knowing I cannot make the refineries work, I cannot, because it is not about subsidies but rather thousands of illegal refineries run by big shots in the Niger Delta and the need for billions to keep the party running.

I have been your president even when my spoken English was terrible or my explanation incomprehensible. However our problems are beyond all I have said and haven't said in my media chats or interview with Amanpour or whoever that pours.

As I speak to you, I see a nation that is beautiful, one not just with potential but is indeed living its potential. A Lagos living its 'eko oni baje' axiom and Kano living its potential. One in which we 'co-epted' we 36 states competed and co-operated.

I do not know so much about state police, indigene/citizenship rights and all those constitutional matters. But I know that we need a National Assembly that is indeed national by its schedules and the job it does not by the billions of naira it earns for doing little.

As your president I can barely look you all my dear Nigerians in the face and say I have worked or my ministers, advisors and assistants, either the special ones or the senior ones. We have failed or at best done little.

It remains a painful journey...every day I go through past files at the villa. I wonder what went wrong and how we just can't get it right. My immediate boss Yar'adua had good intentions; Obasanjo too had good visions, even the military with all the 'fellow Nigerian speeches' meant well for Nigeria. But why are we here...

Here where my wife is compared to Michelle Obama, here, where I painfully read same boring templates condoling families because people won't do their jobs.

Managing a police that hates its own, an army that cannot even help during floods or is it a custom service simply serving itself. Despite all the funds approved for the immigration I can't begin to tell us, about illegal entry points or illegal immigrants.

Like you all, I love Nigeria. It's our only nation. We want it to work and it can work. We need purposefully leadership, not promissory notes by a conglomeration by whatever name and make-up.

My party may not be able to offer it, but only Nigerians can offer it, we have the ability but as I speak to you all. My question is are you ready, do we as a people want to make change and are we going to shift for it to happen or we are just going to keep wishing.

It is unfortunate that I could not keep my promises to you all as a people, however I want to tell you it is not just about me, it also about whoever is in charge as your local councillor or local government chairman.

If the tiers of government did their job, I may not have been addressing you all today. If the councillor did his beat, chairman, legislator, minister, or governor was patriotic enough; I would not be the most criticized president.

If our wealthy people would give as little 10%, not that they are under compulsion, if you would obey the traffic rules though you were in a hurry. If you and I would just not be Farouk or Femi, maybe if I had governed and we all govern when given the opportunity on merit, not as Niger Deltan, Fulani, Nupes, Ibos or Yorubas there still maybe hope for Nigeria.

I have a lot to say to us on this once in a lifetime occasion, but really it's tense enough and I don't want to add to an already charged atmosphere...I Abdul-Jonathan Omo-Goodluck Chidiebele hereby resign as president of the federal republic of Ingeria

And all of a sudden, I woke up sweating profusely, it did not happen, I have been dreaming lately since I started taking the local concoction for my malaria, as I could not afford good hospital care. There is hope for Nigeria, as long as we recognize there is a problem. The solution may not be far away, but only time will tell.

Prince Charles Dickson