Jonathan: Integrity, meritocracy key to Nigeria’s progress

Former President Goodluck Jonathan emphasized the importance of integrity and meritocracy in Nigeria's progress during a ceremony celebrating the retirement of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack. Jonathan praised President Bola Tinubu for appointing Walson-Jack, the first Bayelsan to hold the position, citing it as a significant achievement due to the merit-based nature of the appointment.

He highlighted that no nation can make meaningful progress when competence is sacrificed for relationships, echoing the principles attributed to Singapore's former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Jonathan urged for zero tolerance of corruption and stressed that merit, not relationships, should determine who holds leadership positions.

He warned against assigning responsibilities to people lacking the competence required for the roles, using the analogy of assigning a lion's job to a cat. Jonathan praised Walson-Jack's career, noting her perseverance and merit, which enabled her to rise from the Bayelsa State Civil Service to the Federal Civil Service. President Tinubu, in his remarks, described Walson-Jack as a reformer who has strengthened Nigeria's public service through competence, integrity, and institutional reforms.