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

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.