The Visitor
The visitor to the University of Ilorin, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,  was born on  November 20, 1957. He was the Governor of Bayelsa State from  December 9, 2005 to May28, 2007.  He was sworn in as the Vice- President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29 2007 and on  May 6, 2010, he became Nigeria's 14th Head of State following the passing away of  President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

President Jonathan is reputed as an astute intellectual, a detribalized Nigerian, an honest politician, and a thoroughbred scientist. He is a detribalized Nigerian, an erudite scientist with  impeccable and charismatic persona. His urbane disposition, large heartedness and strict discipline have endeared him to all Nigerians. He is also known to be an erudite academic with a heart for the Nigerian people. Many also admire his gentle nature just as they marvel at his humility and rare discipline.

Dr. Jonathan was born in Otueke in Ogbia Local Government Area of the then Easterern Region, later Rivers State, now Bayelsa State . He began his education at St Stephen’s Primary School   Otuoke  from 1961 to 1965 and     continued at St. Michael’s Primary School, Oloibiri, Bayelsa State  from  1966 to 1969. He subsequently attended  Mater Dei High School, Imiringi, Bayelsa State from 1971 to 1975 for his secondary education.

President Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Zoology which he obtained in 1981 and he was  a pioneer student in the Department of Zoology at the University of Port-Harcourt .  He  obtained an M.Sc. in Hydrobiology/Fisheries Biology in 1985 and  a Ph.D in Zoology from the University of Port-Harcourt in 1995.

Between 1981 and 1982, Dr. Jonathan did his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme and he was a classroom teacher in Community Secondary School Iresi, Oyo State (now Osun State). After the mandatory service, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was invited for a teaching appointment by the old Rivers State Civil Service Commission in 1982. He was later appointed  a Science Inspector of Education in the Ministry of Education  where he worked until he decided to join politics in 1998.

President Jonathan publicly declared his assets and according to him, he had a total of 295,304,420 Naira ($8,569,662.40) in asset  as of May 30, 2007.

Upon assuming office, he cited anti-corruption, power and electoral reforms as part of the focus of his administration

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is a member of various professional bodies including the Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON). He is a Fellow of the International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA), a Fellow of the Public Administrators of Nigeria (PAN), and he was also awarded the prestigious Honorary Fellowship of the Nigerian Environmental Society, following his  contributions towards Environmental Management.