"I was dead for a week, had nine operations" – Patience Jonathan
Speaking at a special Church
thanksgiving service on Sunday in Abuja, she said that she underwent
eight to nine surgery operations within a month during her illness last
year.
Likening her experience to that
of the Biblical Lazarus, she expressed gratitude to God for sending her
back as she rededicated herself to doing things that will touch the
lives of the less privilege in the society. Photos after the cut...
She said: “I remember when Chief Obasanjo was the President of the
country, I was close to his late wife, Stella. We worshipped together in
this chapel. It was a painful moment for me that time when she died and
her corpse was brought here.”
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| President Goodluck and wife, Dame Patience |
“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.
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| First Lady receiving Guests |
“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 privilege.
“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,” the first lady recounted.
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| Vice President, Namadi Sambo and wife |
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| Gov of abia state, T.A Orji and wife |