Goodluck Jonathan: A profile

Born on November 20, 1957 in Otuoke, Bayelsa State,
Goodluck Jonathan began his primary education at St
Stephen’s Primary School (now State School, Otuoke) and
later moved to St Michael’s Primary School, Oloibiri,
where he completed his elementary education in 1969, at
the age of 12.
He proceeded to Mater Dei High School, Imiringi for his
secondary education and passed out in 1975 with
distinctions.
Before securing admission into the university, Jonathan
worked as a Preventive Officer with the Department of
Customs and Excise for two years
In 1977, he secured admission into the Department of
Zoology, University of Port Harcourt. He was one of the
pioneer students of the university.
He graduated with a B.Sc. in Zoology in 1981, an M.S. in
Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology (1985), and a Ph.D. in
Zoology (1995).
While pursuing his doctorate, he taught at Rivers State
College of Education from 1983 until 1993. He then served
as an assistant director at the Oil Mineral Producing
Areas Development Commission, a now defunct
government agency, from 1993 until 1998.
Jonathan Goodluck’s political career began when he
became involved with the nascent People’s Democratic
Party (PDP) in the late 1990s. He was elected deputy
governor of Bayelsa state in 1999 under the party’s
banner. He served in the position until year 2005, when he
was elevated to the governorship after the incumbent,
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was charged with corruption and
was impeached.
In 2007 he was selected as the vice presidential running
mate of the PDP’s presidential candidate, Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua. He and Yar’Adua were elected in April and
inaugurated in May 2007.
He was sworn in as the President on 6 May 2010 following
the death of Yar’ Adua on May 5.
He contested the 2011 presidential election and defeated
General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for
Progressive Chang (CPC) and Nuhu Ribadu of the Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) with 59% of the votes.
His dedication to service earned him the Best Performing
Deputy Governor Award, as well as the Honourary Award
for Democracy and Good Governance.
Given his contributions to Environmental Management, he
was decorated with the prestigious Honourary Fellowship
of the Nigerian Environmental Society.
A member of various professional associations around the
world, he remains a Fellow of the Fisheries Society of
Nigeria, FISON, Fellow of the Public Administrators of
Nigeria, Fellow, International Association of Impact
Assessment, IAIA, and Fellow, Institute of Corporate Affairs
Management. He is also a member, Science Teachers
Association of Nigeria, and Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary
International.