Abuja — President Mugabe returned home yesterday morning after joining more than 25 heads of state and government to witness the swearing in of President Goodluck Johnson as the 14th Nigerian president in Abuja on Sunday.
Among the luminaries at the ceremony at Abuja's Eagle Square were former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Dr Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and former Ghanaian president Jerry Rawlings.
Other former Nigerian military and civilian rulers also attended the ceremony which coincided with the country's Democracy Day.
The Democracy Day commemorates the end of military rule in Nigeria following the first general elections to usher in civilian rule in 1999.
Celebrations for the day were preceded by various activities around Nigeria including public lectures, dinners, church services and fireworks displays that illuminated the night skies in central Abuja as the West African state celebrated what has been dubbed a "dawn of a new era" in Nigeria.
The swearing in ceremony was marked by drills from the Nigerian Defence Forces while school children from across Nigeria entertained the crowds through mass displays.
The Nigerian Air Force also had a fly-past, displaying its old fleet of fighter jets in a sequence that moved from the yester-year planes to the latest fighter jets and helicopters in the country.
In his inaugural speech, President Jonathan hailed Nigerians for enthusiastically participating in the April 16 elections.
"A total of 72 million eligible voters showed their enthusiasm to participate in the election and registered as voters.
"This has encouraged the nation in its endeavour to be strong in its push for democracy in Nigeria," he said.
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