I’m not desperate to serve –Jonathan

President Good­luck Jonathan yesterday said his secret to being calm in the face of criti­cism and attacks from opposition, was that he is hardly ruffled, adding that though he was ready and willing to continue to serve as the president of the country, he was not desperate to continue in office.

He also explained that his passion for using educa­tion to liberate children in Almajiri’s school is because he dreams of a product of the school becoming a pres­ident one day.

Jonathan made this dis­closure at the public launch of a book, “The People’s Choice: The story of Presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan”, written Rev. Fr. Charles Imokhai, where over N170 million was raised, at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The four-part book chron­icles the life of the president, including his educational background, political career and family among others.

Jonathan who said he had two key messages to pass to the public, advised poli­ticians who are interested in occupying any elective position either at state or federal level not to be des­perate.

He said the only things needed were readiness and willingness.

The president said, “My second message is to all of us, especially those of us who are politicians, that for all of us who want to serve, we should be ready to serve but we should not be des­perate to serve our people.

“Sometimes, people ask me, ‘Mr. President, from what we read and what we see, we see you still smiling and unruffled?’

“Yes, nothing will really ruffle me because I am will­ing and ready to serve but I am not desperate to serve. That is what keeps me go­ing.

“All of us who want to hold offices from the least, coun­sellor of a ward, or chairman of a council, member of the state House of Assembly, or member of House of Repre­sentatives, Senate, governor or the president, if all of us are always ready and willing to serve our people but we are not desperate in that our mission, then of course Nigeria will be a better place for all of us..