'I never thought I'd become First Lady in my life' - Patience Jonathan

First Lady Patience Jonathan says she never thought in her life that she will be the First Lady of Nigeria. She said this during the thanksgiving and farewell service organised by the Aso Villa Chapel for her and her husband, President Jonathan yesterday May 17th. Mrs Jonathan while thanking God, revealed how she survived 12 major operations in the one month. She expressed gratitude to God that she and her husband were leaving the villa alive. What she said after the cut...

"I really thank God for keeping me alive. He is a miraculous God. God is so wonderful in my life, because people prophesied that one of us will not go back (leave the villa alive). But God has made it possible… two of us are going back healthy. I never thought in my life that I will be First Lady. I never dreamt of being wife of a deputy governor because my husband was not a politician. But God made it possible and God lifted us up from deputy governor 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 you have followed us for a long time from deputy governor, governor, vice- president, president. You know this position is not for life. There is no permanent thing, so I want you to take it in good faith, that it is the will of God and you should be praising God. God is really wonderful. That is for the political side. To my own real life, 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 ‘she is dead’ but God resurrected me. God told me ‘my daughter go back I will give you second chance, go and finish your work’. “And today if my husband lost this election I believe God has made me finish the work. This year, my husband was campaigning. That campaigning time was a trial for me. Satan came in again and those that know the former president and his wife, her corpse was carried out of this place. We thank God that I and my husband are going alive.

Thank God today we are parting with life and not with death. Our doors are open. This campaign period, devil struck and came in again. In pains I was rushed to the hospital in January and the doctors told me ‘mama you have to go for major big operation now now. The campaign was still going on and I wondered how we were going to explain to Nigerians. You know even when you go for check-up, they will be writing in papers saying all sorts of things. I said I and my family have to handover. My husband will continue with his campaign crowd until the last day. That was how I went in for the first major operation in January ending. And by God’s grace I went for the operation and came out and it was from that operation that I went to the campaign ground. And they told me mama, there is another bigger operation that you have to go in for. But that this one would not be in this hospital; it is too small for this type of operation. You have to go to a bigger hospital. I said I will go; I have faith in God and that my God will see me through. He has brought me out for a purpose. I called my pastor to continue praying for me. They want me to be a sacrifice, but I will never be. Then, I went to the bigger hospital. I booked for the operation and I was asked to go for the campaign. They gave me a new date. I had paid for everything remaining just to enter the theatre and the thing occurred to the hospital to check me again. By then, my husband had lost the election. I have packed out of Villa, we are about going. Behold! I went to four hospitals again (for screening) and the thing vanished. My doctors were surprised they didn’t think that could happen.” she said