Jonathan Hails Attah as he celebrates the former Akwa Ibom governor’s 87th birthday and praises his legacy at a biography launch in Abuja
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday joined distinguished Nigerians in Abuja to honour former Akwa Ibom State Governor Obong Victor Attah, who marked his 87th birthday with the launch of his biography Attah: Architect of a New Democratic Dawn.
Also read: Fayemi blames Jonathan for lacking courage on subsidy removal
The event, rich with emotion and history, underscored how deeply Jonathan Hails Attah for shaping Akwa Ibom’s economic foundation and Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
The gathering attracted political leaders, technocrats, traditional rulers and elder statesmen.
Those in attendance included former Adamawa Governor Boni Haruna, representatives of House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, former Information Minister Labaran Maku, former Governor Niyi Adebayo, King Alfred Diette Spiff, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Senator Kofo Bucknor Akerele. The Etsu Nupe Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar and other eminent figures were also present.
Jonathan, who chaired the ceremony, praised Attah’s unwavering commitment to securing an equitable oil revenue framework for Akwa Ibom.
He recalled his days at OMPADEC when the state received barely one percent, noting that Attah’s persistence—despite an early Supreme Court setback—helped rewrite its financial future.
He described the celebrant as a leader whose integrity remains a reference point in Nigerian politics.
Ambassador Godknows Igali, chair of the organising committee, commended Jonathan for prioritising the event despite it coinciding with his own birthday. He hailed the former president as a man guided by peace and national unity.
Attah used the occasion to reflect on the values of modest living and gratitude that shaped his life.
He also praised Dr Dele Sobowale for completing the biography after thirteen years, saying the project demanded precision and dedication.
With humour, Attah recounted two personal anecdotes, including an EFCC invitation triggered by a misunderstood comment about a hotel he had designed in Barbados decades earlier.
He also recalled a secretary who wept at the sight of him riding a borrowed bicycle in Kaduna, a moment that revealed society’s fixation with status symbols.
Attah said he was content returning to architecture after leaving office, insisting he was always “a professional in politics, not a professional politician.”
Drawing inspiration from former US President Jimmy Carter, he said public office should not strip individuals of their original vocations.
Also read: Goodluck Jonathan Warns of Africa’s Failing Democracies
Ending on an optimistic note, Attah expressed hope that Nigeria would one day awaken to a renewed democracy, confident that when that moment arrives, the country will reclaim its promise of greatness.
