Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful development if merit, competence and integrity are compromised in the appointment of people to public offices.
Jonathan made the call while speaking at the retirement and book presentation ceremony of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Walson-Jack to lead the Federal Civil Service, describing the position as one that requires a high level of merit and competence.
Jonathan noted that Walson-Jack became the first Bayelsan to occupy the position, stressing that the office could not simply be allocated through rotation because only one person can serve as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation at a time.
“There’s a lot of merit required. So we are fortunate that you’re able to get there. So we have to appreciate the President,” Jonathan said.
The former president said Walson-Jack’s career illustrated how competence, perseverance and opportunity could produce capable leaders in the public service.
He recalled that when Walson-Jack moved from the Bayelsa State Civil Service to the Federal Civil Service, she was initially offered a lower position.
Jonathan said he encouraged her to accept the opportunity despite the setback, advising her that the move could eventually open the way to greater responsibilities.
Her eventual emergence as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, he said, showed the importance of giving competent people opportunities to grow.
‘Put the right people in the right jobs’
Jonathan used Walson-Jack’s career to make a wider argument for merit-based appointments in Nigeria.
He warned that a country would struggle to develop when people were given responsibilities beyond their competence or when appointments were influenced by considerations other than ability and integrity.
“If integrity and merit is not considered, especially leadership of a country, if you compromise merit, then you cannot go anywhere. You must use the right people for the right things,” he said.
Jonathan cited former Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew, saying meritocracy and integrity were among the principles that guided Singapore’s transformation.
He said Nigeria could also benefit from placing competence and public interest above relationships when choosing people for important responsibilities.
Jonathan illustrated his argument with an analogy involving a lion and a cat.
“A cat feeds on other animals… A dog also feeds on other animals. A lion also feeds on other animals. But if you give the job of a lion to a cat, you cannot perform,” he said.
“So you must give the job of a lion to a lion and the job of a cat to a cat. And when you mix it, forget about your country, you can’t go anywhere,” he added.
He said Walson-Jack’s career provided an example of what could happen when a competent public servant was given opportunities to serve and rise through the system.
Jonathan also congratulated Walson-Jack on her retirement and the publication of her books, describing the occasion as a celebration of her career, service and contribution to public administration.
He urged leaders to ensure that competence and integrity remain central to public appointments, saying the quality of people entrusted with responsibility ultimately affects the strength and performance of national institutions.