ABUJA—First Lady, Dame Patience
Jonathan, yesterday, said she died and
woke up after seven days during her
illness which necessitated her absence
from the country for almost three
months.
In a thanksgiving service held at the
State House chapel in Abuja, the First
Lady said the prayers of Nigerians
sustained her while some people who
thought she was dead, started to sell her
property.
According to her, she underwent seven
surgery operations within one month
and the doctors had given up hope on
her survival.She said: “I remember when Chief
Obasanjo was the President of the
country, I was close to his late wife,
Stella. We worshiped together in this
chapel. It was a painful moment for me
that time when she (Stella) died and her
corpse was brought here.
“That was how my corpse would have
been brought here. It was not an easy
experience for me. I actually died, I
passed out for more than a week. My
intestine and tummy were opened.
“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.
“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.
“People are always afraid of operation
(surgery) but in my own case, while my
travail lasted, I was begging for it
(surgery) after the third operation
because I was going to the theatre
everyday.
“It was God who saw me through. I did
eight or nine operations within one
month. It was not an easy one.
“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 privileged.
God gave me second chance
“God gave me second chance because I
reached there. He knew I have not
completed the assignments He gave me,
that was why I was sent back”, she said.
In his remarks, President Goodluck
Jonathan said when he took over the
mantle of leadership, some people had
predicted that either he or his wife
would die in office.
While appreciating the large turn out of
personalities during the reception, the
President said the day was a special one
for him and the first family, bearing in
mind that rumour of death in his family
has always been in the air since he was
the deputy governor of BayelsaState.
Giving an instance, Jonathan said when
his second cousin died, one of his
associates wondered aloud how people
he knew who were on the verge of
becoming successful suddenly die.
He said: “I thank God for keeping the life
of my wife. If anything had happened to
her there would have been many stories
and the fake prophets would have had
their predictions fulfilled,” he remarked.
The reception had in attendance, former
heads of state, governors, members of
the National Assembly, ministers and
other dignitaries.
The president then urged Nigerians not
to relent in their prayers for the good of
the country. “If you love this country, you
will not talk about divisions. God willing
we will begin to turn things around,” he
prayed drawing inspiration from the
recent victory of the Super Eagles at the
just concluded African Cup of Nations.http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/02/i-was-dead-for-7-days-patience-jonathan/