Colourful display at Jonathan’s inauguration in Abuja

Colourful ceremony at Presidential Inauguration

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday took the oath of office at a colourful ceremony in Abuja, the capital city.
It was not a day of long speeches, but an opportunity for the military to show off its ceremonial and combat finesse.
Going by the military display and the colourful match past, one could have easily mistaken the event for a purely military affair.

Six Guards of Honour were mounted - three by the Army and one each by the Air Force, the Navy and the Police. There were all resplendent in their ceremonial gears.
Jonathan’s arrival at 11.02am got the event underway. Vice President Namadi Sambo arrived at 9.55am. Many dignitaries, including Heads of State of many African countries and members of the Diplomatic Corps, came in before 11a.m.
The military parade was a sight to behold. The special parade by the guards of honour kept all in rapt attention and admiration.
Dignitaries were kept on the edge of their seats at the Eagle Square, which was bedecked with the green-white-green national colours.
Jonathan went straight to the podium. After the opening Moslem and Christian prayers, and the National Anthem, he rode in an open Land Rover to inspect the guard of honour.
With him were the Commander of the Brigade of Guards and the leader of the parade, Lt.-Col. Isiaka Owolabi.
After the review of the guard of honour, the President took his seat inside the state box. The guards treated the dignitaries to a delightful match past in slow and quick order.
The Special Drill Squad of the Army performed excellently to the admiration of all as they undertook their drill without verbal commands.
The military parade was followed by a calisthenics display featuring over 150 children. They also held the audience spell bound. The songs and displays emphasised unity, togetherness, oneness and love.
The Air Force as a sign of their unalloyed loyalty to the Commander- In- Chief, flew past in three peer formation.
After his oath of office administered by Chief Justice of Nigeria Aloysius Katsina-Alu, Jonathan again reviewed the guard of honour.
Then, the flags were lowered and new ones hoisted to symbolise the old and the new order.
The Coat of Arms was also presented to the President by the Chief of Army Staff after a solemn ceremony.
The activities of the day were rounded off with by a 21-gun salute that elicited cheers from the crowd.
Because of the limited invitations and the tight security situation, the venue was devoid of the usual rowdiness, which has become synonymous with major events at the Eagle Square. Most dignitaries parked their cars in distant places and joined specially-assigned buses to the Eagle Square. Memorabilia and food hawkers were confined to the far-away Ministry of Finance.

By Sanni Ologun

Source : www.thenationonlineng.net