Mrs Patience Jonathan, Nigeria’s former First Lady and wife of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has shared her emotional journey through academia, revealing how close she came to quitting her PhD due to intense pressure from her lecturers.
Speaking during a testimony session on Sunday at Streams of Joy International Church, led by Pastor Jerry Eze, Mrs Jonathan explained that pursuing a doctoral degree was not something she had initially planned after her time in public office. She was recently awarded a PhD in Psychology, Guidance and Counselling by Ignatius Ajuru University of Education during the school’s 43rd Postgraduate Convocation.
She noted that despite her achievements as a former First Lady, the academic path proved to be a major challenge. According to her, the expectations from lecturers, coupled with repeated corrections on her work, pushed her to moments of serious doubt.
“At times, my lecturer would get me angry and say, ‘Go and repeat this page.’ Shey this man don’t know that I’m old. Very soon, I will leave this place and rest because what will I do with it? It’s just to keep the brain moving,” she told the congregation, drawing both laughter and applause.
Jonathan noted that she initially questioned the need to return to school after a long and accomplished career. “When I went to pick up my PhD form, I thought I would not make it. I said, I have finished my career. I have served as First Lady of Nigeria. What am I going to do with a PhD?”
But her doubts were challenged by a strong inner conviction, which she described as God speaking to her. “God told me to go there. He said, ‘If your children can make it, why can’t you?’”
Mrs Jonathan also described how humbling it was to study alongside much younger classmates. “I would go to class and sit on the bench with my children. I was the ‘Mama’ among them, and I wasn’t ashamed. The teacher would be teaching, I would raise my hand and ask questions because the younger ones would understand immediately, but, as a ‘Mama’, I had to ask questions three times before I understood one thing.”
She said the programme, which lasted three years, felt like it took “40 years” due to the emotional and mental strain. Still, she credits her success to divine guidance and support.
The former First Lady urged others, especially women and young people, not to let their age or status stop them from chasing their goals. “There is no age limit in education. If you are a hundred years old, you can make it. If you are ten years old, you can make it. Just be determined, and you will get there,” she added.
