Jonathan Says Leadership Should Shift to Under-50 years old, Warns Presidency Is Too Stressful for Elderly Leaders

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has sparked a fresh debate on the future of African governance, calling for a deliberate handover of power to a younger generation. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the 50th-anniversary memorial for the late General Murtala Muhammed, Jonathan argued that the rigors of modern leadership are better suited for those between the ages of 25 and 50.

Drawing from his personal experience in the Aso Rock Villa, the former president gave a rare glimpse into the grueling schedule of a Commander-in-Chief. He revealed that during his tenure, there were days he slept for less than two hours within a 24-hour period.

“Why do we begin to think that you must be a hundred years old before you can rule your country?” Jonathan asked the audience. “If you subject an older person to the kind of stress where they need to stay awake for 24 hours, that person will spend 50 percent of their time in the hospital. We need people who are vibrant, physically strong, and mentally sound.”

Jonathan pointed to Nigerian history as his primary evidence, noting that General Murtala Muhammed assumed office at just 38, while General Yakubu Gowon took the reins at 32. He used these examples to dismantle the notion that “seniority” is a prerequisite for “visionary” leadership.

The former president also took a swipe at current public officials over their frequent foreign trips, suggesting that the lack of hands-on, local administration is a primary cause of the nation’s lingering security problems. “In developed countries, some governors do not leave their states for four years. But here, some spend half their time outside. Who then runs the state?”

While reinforcing his support for the “Not Too Young To Run” movement, Jonathan concluded with a firm warning to the youth: leadership is not an entitlement based on age alone. He emphasized that the next generation must bring a “State of Harmony” to the nation through discipline and patriotism, rather than just relying on their birth certificates to claim power.