Anxiety has continued to mount over the continued absence of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan in the country for close to two weeks now, thus fueling rumours about her state of health. Though her media aides have tried to convince Nigerians that the First Lady is in a good state of health and only went to Germany to get some rest as she has not taken time to rest since the conclusion of the 2011 elections before which she went round the country to drum up support for her husband. Rumours of her demise have been heard in a few places. The Presidency has remained silent on the issue.
Street Journal however found out that contrary to the explanation offered to Nigerians by the First Lady’s aides, Mrs. Jonathan is lying critically ill in a hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Nigerians had first been made to believe that the First Lady had to be rushed abroad for treatment when she suffered food poisoning, later, it was speculated in some areas that Mrs. Jonathan had gone for a beauty surgery which resulted in some complications and she had to be rushed to Germany for treatment.
Street Journal’s findings have however revealed that the First Lady may not be expected in the country soon as she just underwent a surgery in which fibroids attached to her uterine wall had to be removed. It was gathered that before then, the First Lady had, on the advice of one of her friends gone for a cosmetic surgery in an Arab country in order to enhance her looks. It is however unsure whether the beauty treatment had any connection with her present state.
The “food poisoning” saga actually started from the clinic in the Presidential Villa and as that was the condition diagnosed at the Presidential Villa.
President Jonathan who is on an official working visit to Malawi and Botswana might take time to visit her in hospital though a trip to Germany is not on the official Presidential itinerary.
The state of health of members of Nigeria’s ruling class is always shrouded in utmost secrecy. For instance, when the immediate past President was away for treatment, his aides kept telling Nigerians that he only went to observe the lesser hajj and would be back soon. Even when he was brought into the country in an ambulance, some religious leaders claimed he spoke to them and shook hands with them. Another set of religious leaders however blew the lid open when they disclosed that the man could neither talk nor recognise them in the course of the visit.
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