Unearthing The 'Mother Excellency' In Aso Rock Villa

Adorning pages of the Nigerian dailies (some front page) on Monday December 6, 2010 was a photograph captured of the President and the First Lady with others singing, dancing and clapping at the Thanksgiving Service conducted at the Aso Villa Chapel, State House Abuja. In the published pictures; all dailies had it captioned 'From left: President Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan and others during the 2010 Thanksgiving Service at the Aso Villa Chapel, State House, Abuja, yesterday'. The picture and caption thereon obviously must have been circulated by the State House media chief.   The next in roll to the First Lady Dame Jonathan was an elderly woman 'Madam Excellency' the mother of the President. National Life newspaper of Sunday November 5, 2010 had exposed on how the old woman has stronghold on the activities that go on at her son's domain (Aso Rock). Probably the exposition by the newspaper made the State House media chief to play down on captioning who the old woman was. I feel it is a timid misrepresentation; after all she is entitled to. And I am sure that most people that saw the picture must have been wondering who that next (old) woman to Dame Patience was. Except for those that read the last National Life in question and saw her picture would recognize her otherwise there could various guesses - including could she be First Lady's or President's mother?   What I am trying to make out is that probably like the National Life reported, Jonathan is trying to build up 'Madam Excellency', just as the newspaper reminded that such existed when Dr. Orji Kalu was the governor of Abia State where her mother directed most of the happenings in Abia government (then). Mr. President, please be proud of your mother unless you want to tell us that the National Life story is true, then continue to shield her from the public, but it is unfair.  

Stella Bolor,
3 Randle Close,
VGC, Lagos