A celebrated philosopher of his time, Zig Ziglar once said, “success is the maximum utilization of the ability that you have”. Ziglar’s philosophical  statement aptly describes the success story of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, especially his recent ascension to the position of president of the country.

Right from his good old days as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Jonathan has left no one in doubt that he has all it takes to utilize, to the best of his ability, any opportunity that comes his way to the glory of God and service to humanity.

Indeed, penultimate Thursday, May 6, 2010, was yet another red-letter-day in the history of Nigeria, the  acclaimed giant of Africa. On that fateful day, Jonathan was sworn-in as the President and Commander-in Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, at about 9.30am.

As it were, Jonathan’s swearing-in was as a result of the demise, on Wednesday night, at about 9.00pm, of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua aged 58, after a protracted heart disease called “acute pericarditis”, the inflammation of the outer layer of the heart.

Addressing Nigerians shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, President Jonathan listed what could be termed the agenda of his administration, prominent among which is the desire to ‘intensify efforts at sustaining peace and development in the Niger Delta region”.

As Jonathan, an indigene of Bayelsa State,  a core state in the Niger Delta region, takes over as President of this country, there cannot be a better time than now to take pragmatic steps to accelerate the development of the region. Undoubtedly, this will convince the poor indigenes about the commitment of the Jonathan-led administration to the socio-economic transformation of the  long-neglected Niger Delta area.

Happily, with the relative peace being witnessed in the region now, following the amnesty programme, mid-wifed by late President Yar’Adua, there are very strong indications that the oil-rich Niger Delta region would begin to witness concrete steps in terms of projects delivery than mere talk shops.

Sadly, the politics of the development of the Niger Delta area had, for too long, been lingering with the region being enveloped in under-development. Therefore, Nigerians and indeed, Niger Deltans would be sleeping with their eyes open to see what the Jonathan –led regime has in stock for the region.

Being a Niger Deltan, and a former Bayelsa State Governor, Jonathan is certainly not a stranger to the problems of the oil-producing communities in the area. Therefore, as president of the country now, it behoves him, to begin to focus on the mega-projects that would, in no distant time, turn things around for the better in the oil-rich region..

What’s more, Jonathan is not a novice to the problems of the area; he knows the terrain very well, and more importantly, he understands the mentality of ex-militants and he is fully abreast of the yearnings and aspirations of his people in the Niger Delta region.

Yes, such credentials are quite necessary because there is really no time for Jonathan to waste on formulating new plans. Well, no one is expecting him to re-invent the wheel to develop the region. The erstwhile Niger Delta Technical Committee, chaired by Ledum Mitee, has already charted the way forwards, as it synthesizes the reports and recommendations of previous bodies set up by successive regimes, ostensibly to develop the neglected region.

To make things more easier, the Jonathan-led administration should, as a matter of urgency, adopt the already (well-laid out) Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan, facilitated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Again, another sure way to turn things around for the better in the region , is for Jonathan to spear-head (so to speak) the implementation of the Ledum Mitee-led technical committee’s report, as well as the master plan. This appears to be the surest strategy to make an enduring impact in the region within the short time available to Jonathan administration.

Unlike in the past, when communities in the oil-rich region were contented with freebies and tokenism, the stage has come in the struggle for the emancipation of the region where drastic and urgent steps must have to be taken to provide succour for Niger Deltans.

As president of the country now, and a Niger Deltan, Jonathan may be the “Joshua” that would take the long- neglected  Niger Deltans to the ‘Promised Land.” Well, posterity will judge him!.

FRIDAY NWINUDEE