Wife of the President, Patience
Jonathan, on Sunday disclosed that she battled with another round of
ill-health during the re-election campaigns of her husband, President
Goodluck Jonathan.
Mrs Jonathan, who was flown abroad about
two years ago on health grounds, said the latest was so severe that
she had to be sneaked out of the country to Germany in January for a
major surgery.
She spoke during a farewell service in honour of the Jonathan family at the Aso Villa Chapel.
The President’s wife said before she
left the German hospital after the operation, she was billed for another
in a bigger hospital immediately after the elections but that God
miraculously healed her.
She said after her husband lost his re-election bid, she returned to Germany for the surgery.
According to her, she was about to be taken into the theatre when doctors decided to carry out another round of checks on her.
Like her previous health challenge about two years ago, Mrs. Jonathan did not disclose the nature of the last ailment.
She said, “During the last campaign
period, the devil struck again. I was in pain and was rushed to the
hospital in January and the doctors told me, ‘mama, you have to go for a
major operation now now.’
“What again? I asked. The campaign was still going on and I wondered how we were going to explain to Nigerians.
“You know that even when you go for medical check-up, they will be writing in newspapers, saying all sorts of things.
“I said my husband will continue with
his campaign until the last day. That was how I went in for the first
major operation (surgery) in the end of January.
“By God’s grace, I went for the
operation (surgery) and came out. On my return from there, I went
straight to the campaign ground.
“They said to me when I was leaving the
hospital: ‘mama, there is another bigger operation that you have to go
in for again. This one will not be in this hospital. This hospital is
too small for the type of operation you need when you come back. You
have to go to a bigger hospital.’
“I said ‘ha! while will you tear my body again after I had done 12 operations within one month last year?
“I said my God will see me through
because he created me for a purpose. I told my prayer partner to
continue praying for me. I said to myself that I will never be used
for a sacrifice.
“I was booked for the operation in a
bigger hospital and I was asked to go back to Nigeria and return after
the campaign. They gave me a date. When I went back, I paid for
everything and just when I was to be taken into the theatre, the
doctors said, ‘let’s check her again.’
“By then, my husband had lost the
election. I had packed out of the Villa. Behold! I went to four
hospitals again and the thing was said to have vanished. My doctors were
surprised; they didn’t believe that that could happen.”
Mrs. Jonathan recalled that many people thought it had ended for her when she went through 12 surgeries about two years ago.
She said although she was “dead,” God sent her back to complete her work.
But the President’s wife added that her
husband’s electoral loss was an indication to her that she had completed
the work given her by God.
She said, “I thank God for keeping me
alive today. God is so wonderful. Just two years ago, I went through
operations upon operations. Within one month, I passed through 12
operations.
“Some people said I was dead, yes, I was dead but God resurrected me.
“God told me, ‘my daughter, go back, I will give you a second chance, go and finish your work.’
“And since my husband lost the election, I believe God has made me to finish the work.”
Mrs. Jonathan said she would forever
remain thankful to God because many people had prophesied that either
her or the President would not leave the Presidential Villa alive.
She recalled that that was what happened
in the case of Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, wife of former President Olusegun
Obasanjo, who died while her husband was still in office.
She said it was gladdening that she and her husband would be leaving the Villa on May 29 hale and hearty.
Mrs. Jonathan said she would continue to
thank God for His mercies because she never dreamt of becoming a wife
of a deputy governor much less of a President’s wife.
She said, “I never thought in my life
that I will be First Lady. I never dreamt of being the wife of a deputy
governor because my husband was not a politician. But God made it
possible and God lifted us up from deputy governorship position and here
we are.
“We should be grateful to God for what he has done. To me and my family, we praise God.
“To our followers, today, it might not
be too good but I want them to be grateful to God because they have
followed us for a long time from deputy governor, governor, Vice
President to President.
“You know that no position is for a
life- time. There is no permanent thing so I want you to take it in good
faith that it is the will of God. You should be praising God. God is
really wonderful.”
Mrs. Jonathan disclosed that some
unnamed persons had been visiting her since the March 28 presidential
election with the hope that they would meet her in a mourning mood.
Thereafter, Mrs. Jonathan danced forward
for a special thanksgiving to God for sparing her life throughout their
stay in the Villa despite her sickness.
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