John Godson

{{Short description|Polish-Nigerian politician and university teacher}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = John Godson

|nationality = Nigerian-Polish

|image = John Godson Sejm 013.JPG

|imagesize = frameless

|office = Member of the Sejm

|term_start = 14 December 2010

|term_end = 25 October 2015

|constituency = 9 – Łódź

|party = ADC
Polish People's Party (2015-present)
Independent (2014-2015)
Poland Together (2013-2014)
Civic Platform (Until 2013)

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|11|25|df=y}}

|birth_place = Umuahia, Nigeria

}}

John Abraham Godson (né Godson Chikama Onyekwere; born 25 November 1970) is a Polish-Nigerian politician, a university teacher and a former Charismatic minister. He served as a member of the Sejm between 2010 and 2015, most recently as a member of the PSL.

Biography

John Godson (birthname Godson Chikama Onyekwere) was born in Nigeria to an Igbo family from Umuahia, Abia State. He moved to Poland in 1993, and in 2001 became a Polish citizen. In 2008, he became a member of the Łódź City Council. In 2007, he unsuccessfully ran in the Polish parliamentary election. In 2010, he was re-elected for the City Council with 4736 votes, the second best result out of almost 800 candidates. As former MP Hanna Zdanowska was elected Mayor of Łódź in the same election, Godson replaced her as a member of the Sejm. He was sworn in on 14 December 2010. The "Obama bump" is considered by many the reason for the many votes he received during the Sejm campaign.{{Cite news|url=http://www.se.pl/wydarzenia/kraj/john-abraham-godson-polski-obama_163278.html|title=Czarnoskóry poseł John Abraham Godson - polski Obama pali się do pracy!|access-date=2017-12-20|language=pl}} His supporters were known to cheer "Wiwat! Wiwat polski Obama!" ("Long live the Polish Obama!").[https://newafricanmagazine.com/?p=2729 Only Education, Discipline, And Good Leaders Can Save Africa!] – New African John Godson was re-elected as a member of the Polish parliament on 9 October 2011 with 29,832 votes [http://wybory2011.pkw.gov.pl/wsw/pl/sjm-9.html|tytuł=Serwis PKW – Wybory 2011|11 October 2011]

Godson often emphasizes the importance of education and he is the holder of numerous academic degrees. He has a bachelor of science degree in agronomy from Abia State University in Nigeria (1987–92). He also holds master's degrees in Human Resource Management and Development from Trinity College and Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana (2000–03)[http://www.lodzkie.home.pl/pdf/John%20Godson.pdf Formularz dla kandydatów do Sejmu i Senatu RP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101128093717/http://www.lodzkie.home.pl/pdf/John%20Godson.pdf |date=2010-11-28 }} and International relations from the Łódź Academy of International Studies (2006–08).{{Cite web|url=http://lodz.naszemiasto.pl/wydarzenia/872489.html|title=Wiadomości Łódź, Wydarzenia Łódź|website=lodz.naszemiasto.pl|language=pl-PL|access-date=2017-12-20}}[http://lodz.naszemiasto.pl/wydarzenia/872489.html] He finished two doctorate studies at the University of Warsaw (Political Science, 2011) and University of Łódź (Management, 2012). He also holds a joint MBA/MSPC (Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Professional Communication) run by Clark University and the Łódź Academy of Management.[http://johngodson.pl/?page_id=4 Godson's curriculum vitae] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120710002140/http://johngodson.pl/?page_id=4 |date=2012-07-10 }}

He was a senior lecturer at the Technical University of Szczecin (1993–97) and at Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań. He is a guest lecturer in various institutions of higher learning in Poland and abroad. He is the founder of GODSON GROUP- a conglomerate of five companies and four foundations including the African Institute in Poland {{Cite web |url=http://ia.org.pl/?page_id=35 |title=African Institute website (15 December 2010) |access-date=15 December 2010 |archive-date=22 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922051253/http://ia.org.pl/?page_id=35 |url-status=dead }} and John Godson Foundation.http://www.johngodson.org {{Dead link|date=March 2022}} The New African magazine named him as being amongst 100 of the most influential people in Africa in 2015. On 14 November 2016, The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs decorated him with Bene Merito honorary distinction for promoting Polish-Africa relations.

In February 2021, he announced his intention to run for President of Nigeria in the 2023 Nigerian general election.{{cite news|url=https://www.onet.pl/informacje/onetwiadomosci/john-godson-chce-zostac-prezydentem-nigerii/ehjy90h,79cfc278|title=Były poseł PO chce zostać prezydentem Nigerii|work=onet|date=2021-02-18|language=pl}}

He is currently{{when|date=August 2024}} contesting for a senatorial position under the platform of the African Democratic Congress "ADC" in Abia Central, 2023.

Religious views

Godson is a former minister of Polish Charismatic "Church of God in Christ". He is known for his strong religious beliefs. He calls himself "[...]a slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God."[http://knol.google.com/k/john-abraham-godson/-/ovi7b3ggh3l5/0# Godson's Personal profile at Google Knol] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022231035/http://knol.google.com/k/john-abraham-godson/-/ovi7b3ggh3l5/0 |date=2011-10-22 }}

Views on racism in Poland

Godson has stated that there is "no racism" in Poland. Talking to Biuletyn Migracyjny, he said: "I've always said and still underline, that in my opinion there is no racism in Poland. There is, however, something that I call low inter-cultural competences. And this can be changed by more contact between different cultures and societal groups. No law can change the mentality of people".[http://www.wiadomosci24.pl/artykul/suski_z_pis_o_czarnoskorym_posle_godsonie_murzynek_wideo_223662.html Suski z PiS o czarnoskórym pośle Godsonie: "Murzynek" [Wideo]], Wiadomosci24, retrieved 29/01/2012: "Poseł PO w wywiadach twierdzi, że nie spotkał się w Polsce z oznakami rasizmu. "Zawsze mówiłem i nadal podkreślam, że moim zdaniem w Polsce nie ma rasizmu. Jest natomiast coś, co nazywam niskimi kompetencjami międzykulturowymi. I to można zmienić właśnie poprzez zwiększony kontakt między rożnymi kulturami i grupami społecznymi. Żadna ustawa nie zmieni mentalności ludzi" - mówił dla Biuletynu Migracyjnego."

Godson has said that the word "Murzyn", the Polish word most commonly used to refer to black people, is not offensive and that he is proud to be called a 'Murzyn'.[http://www.tvp.pl/styl-zycia/ludzie/a-normalnie-o-tej-porze/wideo/czy-murzynek-bambo-to-rasistowski-wierszyk/4232903 Czy Murzynek Bambo to rasistowski wierszyk?], TVP2 Mamadou Diouf, a black Polish musician and representative of the Committee for the African Community (Komitet Społeczności Afrykańskiej), has criticised Godson for his use of the word, saying that it has only had "negative connotations" and that Godson does not know the origin of the word.[http://www.tvn24.pl/-1,1726069,0,1,murzyn-to-niewolnik-szkoda--ze-posel-tego-nie-lapie,wiadomosc.html "Murzyn to niewolnik. Szkoda, że poseł tego nie łapie"], TVN24.pl, retrieved 30/11/2011. Diouf: "Myślę, że pan poseł nie zna pochodzenia słowa, o którym mowa" - "I think, that the MP doesn't know the etymology of the word".