Dear President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan! Starting from
March 28, I, other reasonable Nigerians and international
observers had feared that this election would mar Nigeria.
Reasons included the fact that no African sitting president
has ever lost election, the threat from your kinsmen in Niger
Delta, and the prediction that Nigeria would disintegrate in
2015.
However, you have proved every doubting Thomas wrong.
You have kept one of your numerous promises: you’ve
given Nigerians a free and fair election at the expense of
your ambition and expectations of your supporters.
Dear Goodluck:
i. Unlike Charles Taylor, you believe your country (Nigeria)
is greater than you, so you have admitted defeat without
war.
ii. Unlike Gbagbo, you have conceded and you are ready to
inaugurate a new government headed by your opponent.
iii. Unlike Robert Mugabe, you haven’t manipulated election
to keep you in office.
iv. Unlike Mahmud Ghadaffi, you believe the people have the
right to choose their leader.
v. Unlike Hosni Mubarak, you’ve refuse to use the security
forces against your people.
vi. Unlike Babangida, you are not ready to set up interim
government because you’ve lost peoples’ confidence and
acceptance.
vii. Unlike Abacha, you don’t consider Aso Rock your
father’s house, so you are not going to die for it.
viii. Unlike Obasanjo, you’ve appointed a free and unbiased
umpire as the chairman of INEC (Jega against Iwu).
ix. Unlike Aregbesola, you’ve never believed in violent polls,
so you haven’t asked your supporters to go to polling
booths with charms and ammunition.
x. Unlike Shagari, you would never hand over to a military
president, so you’ve conducted a transparent election.
xi. Unlike Obasanjo, you don’t believe election is a “do or
die” affair, rather, you believe that “one’s ambition worth the
blood of nobody”.
xii. Unlike many Nigeria’s politicians, you’ve openly
accepted defeat and don’t blame INEC for your loss.
xiii. Unlike many African presidents, you’ve become the first
sitting African president to conduct election which you’ve
lost.
I’m more than proud of you. After Nelson Mandela in South
Africa, you are the new god of democracy in Africa. Your
open acceptance of the results and congratulating of your
opponent have opened a new democratic chapter for
Nigeria and Africa in whole. I do hereby recommend you for
Nobel Laurel Prize for Peace and Leadership, the Mo
Ibrahim Prize for Leadership and every other available
award for a true statesman and true democrat.
As you bow out of office come May 29, may you bow into
peace, happiness, wealth, good health, prosperity, and long
life.

Nice piece. I share the Op's admiration because Jonathan didn't have to accept defeat in line with the tradition of 'rule by force' common amongst third world rulers. Yet he accepted in good faith even before the likes of Orubebe could perfect their art of commotion.

For this he will be remembered as a strong man against our past perception due to his body language as regard other issues.