I Had Planned To “Hide” For 12 Months – Jonathan

 

The immediate former President of

Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

yesterday during his visit to Ikenna,

where himself and his wife had gone

to pay the Awolowos a condolence

visit on the passing away of their

mother, grandmother and great

grandmother, said if not for the

death of the aged woman and how

important she was to the nation,

himself and his wife wouldn’t have

been seen publicly like this. He said

they had planned to “Hide” for 12

months shortly after leaving office,

but mama’s death was one which

they couldn’t over look. His

words below.

“Within this period, myself and my

wife have been hiding; we don’t

even go out. We thought we’ll be

hiding for at least 12 months. But in

this particular case, we cannot hide.

So, we’ve come for the condolence

and to encourage our brothers and

sisters that we are together,” he said.

On the passing of Mrs. Awolowo,

Jonathan said it was a great loss, but

that he took solace in the fact that

death is an inevitable end that would

come when it would come.

“So, we know it would come for all of

us one day and here we are today,”

he said.

“We have been coming here because

the former secretary to the

government did mention that the last

time I came here it was associated

with the last presidential

electioneering campaign. But before,

I’ve been here severally to see mama

in one way or the other,” the former

president said.

“We are mourning her today; me

and my wife, we are not mourning

because mama has passed on. For

me, we believe that it’s a rare

privilege to add extra 29 years to the

Biblical two scores and ten; it’s not

easy.

“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have been

mourning but mama was a rare

mother. She was a woman of virtue

described in the Bible and she was a

mother to all of us; a mother that her

milk of kindness we still need, her

milk of encouragement we still need,

her milk of advice we still need and

today she’s no more with us.

“But for me and my wife and

members of our delegation, some of

them include the former leader of

the House of Representatives, Hon.

Mulikat Adeola. Of course, Gbenga

Daniel has been here severally but

he was the one who led us into this

hall. My good friend, Jide Adeniji,

the former chairman of FERMA and

others. Mrs. Kuku from Bayelsa State

and others that joined us; we have

come to pay our last respect,” he

stated.