By John Ikani
Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has been appointed as United Nations (UN) Global Crisis Envoy.
Jonathan’s appointment remarkably makes him the first African former leader that the UN would honour with such an international role.
Announcing the appointment, Ubi Franklin, the Special Assistant to the Cross River State Governor on Tourism said the former President’s new job compares to that of Britain’s former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who after leaving office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, was named the Envoy to the Middle East for the United Nations, European Union, United States and Russia.
Jonathan 63, formerly Deputy Governor and Governor of Bayelsa State, became Nigeria’s Vice President under President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007.
The soft-spoken former university lecturer became President in 2010 after the demise of the terminally ailing Yar’Adua.
He went on to win the 2011 election, but lost his attempt to win a second term in 2015 against incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, he wears the glowing reputation of being the first incumbent President in Nigeria to concede defeat in an election.
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