Goodluck Jonathan - Nigeria's New Acting President

Goodluck Elebe Jonathan, left, has assumed the duties as Nigeria's new acting president since President Umaru Yar'Adua has been getting medical treatments out of the country since November. Mr. Jonathan is Nigeria's first president from an ethnic minority of the Niger Delta, which is rich in oil. Dr. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) Honours, University of Port Harcourt, Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from University of Port Harcourt. He is seasoned administrator, an academic, a democrat, and an accomplished technocrat and indeed the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. Dr.Jonathan holds an Honorary Fellowship at the Nigeria Environmental Society (NES). Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is married to Mrs. Patience Faka Jonathan and they have two children.

Maybe President Goodluck will improve conditions of people in the Niger Delta with that nation's massive oil revenues. AAEA has long recommended increased international cooperation between African Americans and Nigerians in operating the oil industry in that country. Nigeria has long been a key crude supplier to the U.S. Currently, Chevron Corp., ExxonMobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell PLC, control oil production and export in Nigeria. Nigerian militants are hampering the efforts of these multinational energy companies to produce and export oil. There needs to be a way to increase prosperity for Nigerians through their oil revenues, increased African American petroleum entrepreneurship and continued inclusion of the multinational energy companies in the production of oil. Everybody can benefit and there is enough oil there for everybody to profit. (WSJ, 1/12/10, Online Nigeria)