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.
