Dame Jonathan: ' I Was Dead for One Week'

Oritshejafor, Jonathan, Patience and the children

Oritshejafor, Jonathan, Patience and the children

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

For Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of Nigeria’s President, Sunday 17 February, was a day of thanksgiving and praises to God over the still mysterious illness that took her away from the country for many weeks last year without any official explanations by the Presidency.

Patience Jonathan: admits serious illness
Patience Jonathan: admits serious illness

Though the first lady did not lift the lid on the nature of her affliction during the thanksgiving which began at Aso Rock Presidential Villa on Sunday morning, she however left no one in doubt that it was life threatening as she revealed that she was dead for a week and had nine surgeries within one month at the German hospital she was treated.

In her testimony during the thanksgiving service attended by her husband, members of the Nigerian cabinet and bigwigs of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mrs. Jonathan said she would have been dead but for God’s intervention.

The wife of Nigeria’s President added that her condition was so critical that she was the one asking for the surgeries while her travail lasted. She added that God gave her a second chance and sent her back to earth even after she gave up the ghost because she has not completed the assignments He gave her.

Oritshejafor, Jonathan, Patience and the children
Oritshejafor, Jonathan, Patience and the children

Mrs Jonathan who likened her case to that of Biblical Lazarus said but for the divine intervention, her corpse would have been brought back to the country like that of Stella, the late wife of former President Obasanjo who died in Spain where she went for a tummy reducing operation.

“I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost. A black doctor in London who is with us in this service was flown in when the situation became critical. It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I will return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days”, Mrs Jonathan said.

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“I know that some people somehow leaked the information that I was dead. They are people that I trust and rely on; to them, I was dead and I would never return to the country alive. Some of them even sold my things off. “I won’t say everything here. It is the Lord’s doing that I returned alive. When God says yes, nobody can say no”, she added.

Mrs. Jonathan said her experience has now made her more committed to serving humanity: “The day I came back, I said God I have nothing to say, I offer myself to you. I will be doing things that will touch the lives of the less privilege”, she said.

The thanksgiving was rounded off with a session of praise and thanksgiving at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa Abuja attended by President Jonathan, former Head of State Yakubu Gowon and Ernest Shonekan, Vice President Namadi Sambo and his wife, Christian clerics led by Pastor Ayo Oritshejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria, members of PDP, technocrats, ministers, businessmen and others.

Patience Jonathan In the midst of kids on her arrival from Germany in October
Patience Jonathan In the midst of kids on her arrival from Germany in October

Speaking at the event in which notable gospel musicians like Yinka Ayefele, Asu Ekiye and Onyeka Onwenu performed, Mrs. Jonathan thanked her husband, friends and her staff for standing by her during the period of her illness. While thanking Nigerians whose prayers, she said contributed to her healing, Mrs Jonathan however asked Nigerians to continue to pray for inhabitants of Aso Rock presidential Villa.

The First Lady who also reiterated her commitment to continue to serve humanity, especially doing things that will touch the lives of the less privileged in the society implored Nigerians to continue to pray for their leaders at every level.
Significantly, the Presidency had insisted that Mrs. Jonathan was not ill, but only resting abroad when it became public knowledge that the President’s wife, Patience has been evacuated to Germany.

Mrs. Jonathan’s spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, told journalists on 3 September 2012 that the President’s wife travelled out of the country to take a “moment’s rest”, though he refused to disclose her whereabouts: “If you look at her itinerary in August, you would be wondering how she was able to accomplish that. In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he said.

Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, curtly told reporters that the story “was a rumour and there is nothing like that”, when he was asked to confirm if the First Lady was taken outside the country for treatment.

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