Forgive My Shortcomings, Jonathan Begs Nigerians

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday pleaded with Nigerians who he may have offended in the course of discharging his duties as president to forgive him his shortcomings.

Also, the president’s wife, Patience, stunned the congregation at the Aso Villa Chapel, Abuja, with the revelation that she sneaked out of the country during the 2015 presidential campaign to undergo another surgery, her 13th major operation.
Jonathan and his wife spoke during a thanksgiving church service to mark their last worship at the Aso Villa Chapel and to formally hand over the chapel to the vice president-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
But Osinbajo who was invited to the handing over service was conspicuously absent. He, however, sent a representative to the event.
Addressing the congregation, President Jonathan who described his transition from vice-president to the president as complicated, remarked that no system was perfect.
He said, “So, for the eight years that one has been here, definitely one is not perfect. We have certainly done things that probably we wouldn’t have done that way, but we didn’t do things deliberately.
“So for those who we have offended, it was not deliberate; it was circumstances of the office. So, we also plead that those people should forgive.
“We think we have done our best. You can do your best and your friends may misunderstand you. Today, we are talking about leaving. It is only God that knows why things go the way they do.”
Jonathan further expressed his gratitude to all those who supported his administration in one capacity or another.
“What we have achieved is through you. Let me specifically thank the chaplain, the clergymen, the pastors and their wives. For the past eight years, we have every reason to be thankful to God. Every individual has his/her own calling. I also believe that people who take over political leadership have their own callings to do specific things.
“The office is quite challenging. Some of you may desire to see us. I believe, as we move forward, things will get better. I don’t really believe that it is only in government that you can do things.
“The richest people in the world don’t even serve in government. Dangote has never been in government. Bill Gates has not been in government. So you don’t need to be in government to be rich. So outside government a lot of things happen.It is for us to be committed and continue to be focused.”

 

On her part, the first lady, Dame Patience, who testified at the service, recounted how “the devil struck” her again with ill-health in January, leading to her being flown to a hospital in Germany after attending a campaign rally.
She said doctors had confirmed her for another major operation that would have been her 13th within a short period of time, even as she wondered where else the doctors could “tear” in her body.
Mrs Jonathan said she was, however, thankful that after fixing a date for the operation, the doctors decided to examine her again only to discover that the ailment had disappeared.
She narrated her experience: “The campaign 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 (out of office) alive.
“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 newspapers saying all sorts of things.
“I said I and my family have to hand over. My husband will continue with his campaign 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. 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.’ And I said I will go; I have faith in God and 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, do you know 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.”
She had paid all the bills and was about to go into the theatre when the doctors decided to check her again and called off the process.
“By then, my husband had lost the election. I had packed out of Villa. We were about going. Behold! I went to four hospitals again and the thing vanished. My doctors were surprised they didn’t think that could happen. I told my people, ‘doctors say we can go’.
Recalling how she nearly died two years, with some people predicting one of them would die, Mrs Jonathan said that in view of the history of deaths at the presidential villa, she and her husband had reason to thank God for going home alive.
“I thank God for keeping me alive today. 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.”
She also encouraged all those who had worked with her and her husband in the last 16 years to bow out of government in good faith.
“I never thought in my life that I will be first lady. I never dreamed 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.
“To our followers, today, it might not be too good but I want them to be grateful to God. You know this position is not a life-long thing. 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,” she concluded.