First Lady Cuts Short Geneva trip; Dignitaries Condole with Her on Foster Mother’s Death

Nigerian First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, Wednesday night, at about 9.40pm, returned to the country from a three-day official trip to Geneva to receive an award as the Online Child Protection Champion from the International Telecommunication Union.

The first lady who lost her foster mother, Mrs. Charity Iwori-Oba, in an auto crash in Port Harcourt on Monday, returned earlier than scheduled from the trip as she was said to be devastated when the
news was broken to her on the telephone.

The First Lady’s foster mother, fondly called Sisi Mama, was on her way to Bayelsa when the fatal accident occurred.

The Villa Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bereaved returned to the waiting arms of her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was joined by former military Head of State, Retired Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Anthony Anenih, among dignitaries at their official residence in the Presidential Villa.

Others who joined the President to receive his wife were his mother, Eunice; wife of Bayelsa State governor; Ministers of Transport, Aviation, Power, Science and Technology as well as culture and tourism. Some presidential aides also joined the team.

Mrs. Jonathan was immediately led into the president’s residence by her husband. The ministers and a few presidential aides were allowed to follow them in.

Meanwhile, the wife of the Rivers State Governor, Judith Amaechi, has commiserated with Jonathan over the death of his wife’s mother.

Mrs. Amaechi, in a statement by her Media Assistant, Mr. Dike Bekwele, said she was devastated by the news of the death of the mother of the First Lady and described it as a great loss to Rivers State, especially the Oba’s family and the nation at large.

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, later led them in a prayer session for the repose of the deceased’s soul, while Anenih gave a brief closing remark.

As the dignitaries left the Villa, some others, led by Gov. Peter Obi of Anambra arrived to condole with the First Lady.