President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said he had been in a cage in the last 16 years, thanking God for his safe voyage in the public service.

President Jonathan told a Christian community, which paid him the traditional Easter homage in Abuja that he had had enough and expressed gratitude to Nigerians for giving him the opportunity to serve.

“I was in the hands of governments for 16 years, not in government as a parliamentarian, because if you are in the National Assembly or state House of Assembly, you take care of yourself in your house. I was in a cage being taken care of by the government. But I think it is enough and I am happy. Help me thank God for that,” he said.

While describing himself as one of the luckiest Nigerians today, President Jonathan said Nigerians had given him opportunity to serve the country in the last 16 years at different levels of leadership, noting that he remained grateful to God and the people of the country for providing him with such privilege.

“This Easter period coincides with when I’m leaving but I always say I’m one of the luckiest Nigerians. From 1999, I have been in the hands of government. I am yet to see somebody who is luckier than me,” he said.

Jonathan said the in-coming President, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) can only succeed if Nigerians cooperate with him and are ready to make sacrifice for the nation.

He said those countries which succeeded achieved such success because of the sacrifice of its people.

According to him, “as a people, what I always believe we should ask is what sacrifice are we making? It is not about supporting Jonathan or government. Now, Buhari is coming on board, it is not about supporting Burhari or his government but what sacrifice are you willing to make for government and for the nation as an individual?

“Nation-building depends on the sacrifice of individuals and the patriotism of the citizens. These are two key elements, and we must be ready to sacrifice for our nation.

“If you are a businessman and you say you are supporting government but you don’t pay tax, how do you expect that government to survive? That government will not survive. To me, whenever I travelled to different countries and saw things work, I realised those things didn’t fall down as manna but people made sacrifice.

“Therefore, in Nigeria people must also be ready to make the required sacrifice. Whoever becomes president is immaterial so long as the citizens are happy. Our children go to school, when we are sick they go to good hospitals and of course the economy blossoms.”

•Adapted from a Vanguard report. Photo shows President Jonathan.