By SOLA BALOGUN
Many people actually found it difficult to believe but the book presentation that had neither chief launchers nor buyers was made possible by President Goodluck Jonathan in Lagos. For over three hours, the president was seated before his friends, savouring good music amid tributes that eulogised his virtues as a leader who listens to the people.
The formal presentation of My Friends and I: Conversations on Policy and Governance, held at the Eko Hotel in Lagos,drawing a mamooth crowd among whom were youths and students. The president aptly demonstrated his passion for books, and used the occasion to launch his project; Bring Back The Book. He asked Nigerians to embrace books, noting among others that the knowledge and vision needed to change society can only be obtained through books.
The two-in-one project also saw a wedlock of literature and music, just as writers mingled with musicians in a colourful display of talents. First to storm the stage was D’Banj, the Koko Master whose stagecraft and lyrics set the pace for the event. He was soon trailed by Zakky, who was accompanied by two female dancers. Zakky thrilled guests with his rythmic commercial, which endorsed Jonathan for next year’s presidential election.
A few minutes later, young Mochedda mounted the stage with her rap and Christmas songs. The young musician enjoyed her show while dancing and dazzling the audience with renewed confidence. She was soon followed by TuFace Idibia who stormed the stage amid a tumultous ovation. Tu Face’s show was however shotlived as he was only able to thrill in two numbers before he relinquished the microphone.. The next star on the bill was P Square, the enigmatic duo who sent the hall partying with such popular numbers as No One Like You, E No Easy and Do Me. The singers’ show was trailed by motivational talks by Nana Ashma, T.Y Bello, Ken Saro Wiwa’s son and Toyosi Akerele. These speakers urged the youths to embrace change by believing in themselves and voting credible leaders into ofsfice come next year.
For President Jonathan, it was a rare passion that forced him to encounter Nigerians through Facebook. The experience afforded him opportunity to meet and interact with youths who offered suggestions on leadership styles and policy creation. It therefore became inevitable for him to document his Facebook experiences in a book form. Besides, his interest in books prompted his love for education, believing that functional education cannot be obtained without sufficient interest in books and literature.The president also stressed the need to return the golden era of quality education which could galvanise economic prosperity and socio-cultural advancement.
While reviewing the book, Dr Reuben Abati, Editorial Board Chairman of The Guardian underscored President Jonathan’s unique style of leadership in interactingwith the people through Facebook. For having been inspired by US President Barack Obama, Abati extolled Jonathan’s virtues as a leader who values digital democracy and uses it to communicate effectively with the Nigerian people.
The reviewer also commended Jonathan whom CNN dubbed ‘Facebook President’, noting that the medium adopted by the president has afforded him opportunity not only to create people’s parliament and build a strong democracy, but also to get feedback from people aside creating a new pattern of relationship between him and the people he rules.
However, Abati was uncomfortable with certain jargons and spelling mistakes that abound in the book as posted by the various friends of the President. According to him, Nigeria cannot grow without a population of people who can read, write and generate new ideas.
For Odia Ofeimun, President Jonathan’s willingness to read books to the children was a demonstration of his humilty and a leadership quality that is needed in Nigeria today. His passion for books and knowledge equally amplified his mission to provide basis for building a sense of commuinity. Ofeimun also observed that Jonathan was the first Nigerian leader to have openly identified with books and knowledge, hence he has created a new approach based on pragmatic considerations to generate policies.
Meanwhile, the book presentation also dovetailed into a political forum of sorts, as notable dignitaries and top officials of the Jonathan administration were present. Some of these were Speaker House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Chairman, Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign, Alhaji Seriki Tafida,Minister of National Planning, Dr Shamshuldeen, Minister of Information and Communications, Labaran Maku and Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Alhaji Sadiq Mohammed. Also in attendance was Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Ogun State Governor, Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Joe Trippi, Ben Bruce, Oronto Douglas, among many others.
On the writers’ list were Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, Professor John Pepper Clark, Professor Ebun Clark, Jerry Agada, Helon Habila, Sefi Ata, Lola Shoneyin, Simidele Dosekun, Ayodele Olofintuade, as well as Bibi Bakare of Cassava Republic and Muktar Bakare.