1. Patience Fakabelema Jonathan was Nigeria’s 3rd executive First Lady and the latest to bear the title despite leaving office since 2015. She’s wife to Former President Goodluck Jonathan.
2. Jonathan is the only First Lady older than her husband-President; with 25 days.
3. She’s also the only woman to have served as Permanent Secretary of a State concurrently as the First Lady of the country after a 13-year ”leave” from the state’s civil service.
4. She holds a National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Mathematics & Biology from the Rivers State College of Education and later bagged a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Port Harcourt, in Biology & Psychology.
5. Although she started out as a teacher at Stella Maris College in Port Harcourt, she later delved into the banking sector, establishing Akpo Community Bank in 1997, the first of its kind in Port Harcourt, and later served as the Marketing Manager of Imieto Community Bank.
6. Her maiden name is Oba. She answered Miss Patience Fakabelema Oba.
7. Jonathan met her future husband, Goodluck Jonathan, when she was a student at the College of Education while he was a lecturer. It was ”love at first sight”. ”He took interest in me because I was a brilliant and smart student,” she said.
8. Patience Jonathan’s hobby are reading, writing, travelling and swimming.
9. Jonathan holds many traditional titles, more than any First Lady in Nigerian history; some of which are:
-Odadigba of Otuoke Kingdom, meaning the Ladder of Success.
-Unume Wheshi Ekpeye I of Ekpeye Kingdom in Rivers State.
-Yeye Obateru of Owu Kingdom, Ogun State, (Mother of He Who Shares the King’s Burden).
-Yeye Ohun Orun of the Source of Ife Kingdom, Osun State (Mother of the Voice of the Heavens).
-Ada Di Oha Mma of Ukpo Kingdom, Anambra State (Daughter of the People of Ukpo) and many more….
10. Jonathan was a successful entrepreneur. She once sold Ice cream and managed a poultry. In fact, her nickname then was ”Mama Ice cream”.
11. She bears the title ‘Dame’ as she was honoured with the Knighthood of the Anglican Church.
12. She also has a non-governmental organization, named the A-Aruere Reachout Foundation and is said to focus on the needy, the poor and the destitute, with particular emphasis on women and children.
13. Patience Jonathan hails from Oba-Ama Community in Okrika, a port town in Rivers State and her marriage with President Goodluck Jonathan is blessed with two children; a boy, Ariwera Adolphus Jonathan and a girl, Aruabi Jonathan. #HistoryVille
Credits: Ayomide Akinbode