How Widows Wept To Receive President Jonathan’s Wife Dame Patience Jonathan

Widows from the South East cried before First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan at Alex Ekwueme Square Awka, the state capital, on Saturday. They were wailing and some strolling on the floor over lamenting the attacks on President Jonathan.

The venue was filled to the capacity as people swarm like bees all over the state especially Awka.
Dame Jonathan was at the venue to grace a South-East Women’s Empowerment Programme jointly organized by her non-government organization (NGO), Women for Change Initiative and 4J, another NGO, campaigning for the re-election of President Jonathan.
Odogwu Media reports that after the heart touching event Dame Jonathan visited Arthur Eze’s residence at Ukpo in Dunukofia local government area and stayed several hours before touching the Governor’s Lodge.
At the event, wife of the President flew into the crowded venue in a helicopter and was welcomed by dignitaries, including Governor Willie Obiano and his wife, National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and other members of the National Assembly, Prince Arthur Eze and the wives of Governors of Ebonyi, Abia States.
The event began immediately after the First Lady’s arrival with speaker after speaker, declaring total support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
There was however a stir midway into the event when widows from Anambra State were invited to the podium to speak.
Their leader, Mrs. Ester Ume-Ohamadike recalled that she was very young when her husband died and she suffered uncountable hardship and asked the gathering to stand up for a short prayer session.
While the prayers were going on, all the widows on the podium suddenly broke down in tears as they were praying for God to see President Goodluck Jonathan through in 2015.
In tears they alighted from the podium, walked up to Mrs. Jonathan at the VIP stand and presented a gift to appreciate the efforts of her NGO towards alleviating the plight of widows.
Igbo leaders, who earlier spoke at the event, declared their support for the re-election of the President in 2015.
Prince Arthur Eze, sponsor of the event, said he was happy to be alive to speak to the gathering.
“Anytime I see you people gathered, I remember Biafra and how we were slaughtered. That is why we have widows. Nobody has been caring for our widows. So, I went to Jonathan and his wife and they told me to go and look for the widows.
“The purpose of 4J is to care for you alone. I am happy for the wife of Jonathan. She brought all these for you. She wants to build industries for you. Politicians are criminals. Jonathan is not a professional politician likewise his wife. Jonathan has wiped our tears” Eze said.
He warned that if anything happened to Jonathan, then Ndigbo are finished in Nigeria, stressing that whereas other Presidents excluded Ndigbo from sharing of oil blocks, Jonathan gave them oil blocks in Otuocha Anambra State and included it as an oil producing area.
Ihedioha who spoke on behalf of members of the National Assembly at the event, said they came to associate with 4J and thanked the First Lady for coming to associate with widows in the South-East.
Ihedioha recalled that they were at the same venue about two months ago at the behest of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), to endorse the President and in furtherance of what they have started the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives caucus also endorsed the President.
He said the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) has also endorsed President Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for the 2015 presidential election and “if and when he agrees to run, he will continue to transform our zone”, adding that the 4J initiative would further strengthen their resolve.
Governor Obiano said Anambra was supporting President Goodluck Jonathan 100 percent, but APGA would contest every other election in the South East zone.