Jonathan: As President I Was Spreading Wealth, Not Poverty

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he was never elected as Nigeria’s president to spread poverty but to generate and spread wealth. He spoke at the Oxford Union, with the theme ‘Fostering Youth Entrepreneurship'.

He said that only being entrepreneurial can completely cure poverty and not having a job or working for someone.

“My belief in this regard is that getting a job or being a worker cannot completely cure the disease of poverty. It is only your own business that can provide such security and give you the financial freedom you need to prosper.”

Dr. Jonathan, whose speech was streamed live, rhetorically queried his audience asking why some nations are rich and others remain poor.

Jonathan asked: ”Why are some nations rich and some poor? Why do individuals that grow up in similar circumstances end up differently, with some as successes and others as failures?

“Is the wealth of nations a result of geography, weather, culture, destiny, etc.? What could a leader do to effectively lift a people out of the depths of poverty and enable them to achieve prosperity?”