Date Published: 04/27/09

VP Wife receives African Goodwill Ambassador Award

The wife of the Vice President, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Los Angeles, United States of America received the African Goodwill Ambassador Award given to her by the African Focus Inc. a US based Organization.

It is an award to recognize, appreciate and celebrate the Goodwill and Contributions of Individuals and Organizations in response to the humanitarian needs of the African people.

Dame Patience Jonathan was recognized for reaching out to the less and under privileged od Nigeria and making life worth living for them through her NGO - A.Aruera Reachout Foundation. She was described by the President of African Focus Inc. Mr Uchenna Nworgu as a friend to the less privileged, a morther to the orphans and a source of hope to the hopeless.

The wife of the Vice President received the award describing Africans as good hearted people who actively care about others and are generous with time and energy in helping others. "There are a genuine number of kindhearted Nigerians and Africans who have that essential part of our culture in which we look after one another".

Dame Patience Jonathan told the gathering that her NGO has over the years been dedicated to training women and young people in various skills that will make them self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to National Development " I believe that if a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich".

She asked Nigerians in the diaspora to come back home to join the Government to tap the creative and productive potentials of the people. She assured them that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has the long term vision and political courage to pursue the Seven Point Agenda to a logical conclusion and see Nigeria among the twenty top economies by the year 2020.

Also on the rool call for the twelve African Goodwill Ambassadors Award were top singer Chaka Khan, Nollywood's Stephanie Okereke and Dr Deborah Hyde, one of the four black American women NeuroSurgeons in the United States.

At a pre-event dinner, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan was presented with the key to the City of Carson by the Mayor Pro Tempore, Mike Gipson.

The City of Carson has the largest concentration of Nigerians resident in Los Angeles County, Carlifornia.