It appears there is no limit to the odium Nigerians would endure in the hands of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; again in the news for the wrong reasons. The decision by the First Lady to receive an honorary doctorate degree in faraway South Korea, even as Nigeria’s public universities remained shut down, for months, under her husband’s watch is callous insensitivity and invidious imperviousness at its worst. It is absurd, offensive, totally immoral and embarrassing to the country. The entire episode diminishes the presidency and throws up unsavory issues of power, abusive privilege and greed. The President ought to have advised against it, as the award constitutes a moral burden on the image of the presidency. Little surprise the award has attracted public criticisms on grounds of propriety.
For the wife of the President, occupying a ceremonial office unknown to the constitution, to act in such a manner, which leaves much to be desired, is an aberration which stands logic on its head and defies common sense. Her galling effrontery negates all that public morality stands for, and amounts to outright provocation and contempt for Nigerians. Given the inauspicious timing, it is difficult to fathom what informed her decision to receive the award. But even if the circumstances may not exactly fit into illegality; this waste of taxpayers money to collect an award that adds no value to the country is inexcusable. It typifies an official endorsement of public officials abusing their offices and the trust reposed on them by ordinary citizens. The President’s embattled image obviously took another beating.
There are several versions of what transpired. What is not in question is that Hansei University awarded an honorary doctorate to the first lady, because “She’s a humanitarian who has dedicated her life to working for the less-privileged in Nigeria and Africa, especially for women and children. Her vision as the defender of the poor in Nigeria fits into Hansei University’s motto of a practising Christian.” Fair enough! But with due respect to the many worthy causes that she so energetically pursues, she should carefully make sure her actions do not interface with her extra-constitutional role as First Lady. What point did she intend to prove by receiving the award at a time when Nigerian university students have been marooned by a government led by her husband? The award magnifies the impropriety of the wife of a serving president, being so elevated with an ego-massaging aberration, meant to curry favor from the Nigerian presidency.
Notably, this is not the first time Mrs. Jonathan is involved in conducts unbecoming of her station as the first lady. Her several public goofs are now well documented in an unedifying diary of her person and position. She often behaves like an all-conquering empress; taking on public officials at the slightest opportunity in ways that embarrass the nation. Sometime ago, Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson promoted her to the rank of permanent secretary without a portfolio in the Bayelsa State civil service, in total disregard of decency. Amid national outrage, Mrs. Jonathan justified her promotion that she had been a teacher in the state, when in reality; she had been on leave of absence since her husband’s election as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, up to his ascension as President of Nigeria. On another occasion, she sent the Minister of Water Resources, to represent her at a book launch in honor of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the latter’s Presidential Library in Abeokuta.
Nigerians are yet to forget the high profile but detestable land dispute between Mrs. Jonathan and the former first lady, Turai Yar’Adua. It is crystal clear that the land in question was duly allocated to Turai’s NGO – Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation (WAYEF). But in a brazen display of megalomania, the allocation was revoked on grounds of “overriding public interest” and reallocated to Mrs. Jonathan-led African First Ladies’ Peace Mission (AFLPM), an NGO under the African Union (AU). This story, however one looks at it, is ugly. It was the first time Nigerians saw an open quarrel between past and present first ladies. The labored explanations and analogies proffered by the presidency failed to assuage public perception of the incident as another example of the lack of morality in government.
Recently, Mrs. Jonathan has been conducting her public outings with an official podium of “First Lady” complete with the country’s coat of arms and national colors. From all indications, the practice appears to be her new fancy, disrespectful as it is of Nigeria’s sovereignty. Adorning her ceremonial station with the seal of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and using the coat of arms in the manner she does amounts to a desecration of national symbols and disrespect to all Nigerians. Acts such as these diminish the exalted office of President of the federal republic. Mrs. Jonathan’s actions are not only too brazen but clearly unconstitutional, an act for which the President could be held accountable. Her action ridicules Nigeria in the comity of nations and President Jonathan needs to demonstrate that he understands the implication of the leadership position he occupies and end the odious excesses of his wife. The country deserves a respite from her self-indulgent eccentricities.
It bears repeating: the office of the first lady is not known in law. It is a ceremonial position from which the lucky spouse is expected to use her personal comportment to enhance her husband’s image. To the extent that it serves some public good – charity, humanitarian causes, it is tolerated and supported with state resources. But even in America, where the idea evolved in the late 1800s, first ladies observe rules and never dare attempt to usurp the powers of their husbands, let alone drag them to the dangerous grounds of infringement of the constitution and the consequent threat of impeachment. The First Lady’s status is a moral pulpit from which the highest of values cherished by a nation are expected to be espoused, especially by example. It is no podium for unconstitutional actions, substantive or symbolic.
And here is the point: if those whose responsibility is to guide the first lady on the impropriety of her action failed in their duty, can the President himself claim ignorance of his spouse’s debauchment? If the first lady acted in a fit of poor judgment, she may be pardoned. But, if the president had prior knowledge about the award (and it would be absurd if he hadn’t), it is unpardonable that he allowed such impropriety. Besides, where was the horde of presidential advisers to advise against her decision to receive the award at such an inauspicious time? This latest embarrassment is bad enough; more so, as Mr. President’s supercilious silence implies, he has seen nothing wrong with his wife’s conduct to warrant a public apology.
Mrs. Jonathan has so often been in the news for reasons not quite becoming of her position and role as first lady of the nation. But the impropriety of the award aside, Patience Jonathan remains the First Lady. More than anybody else in Nigeria, she has the ears of her husband, the president. At night, alone with her husband, she would do well to whisper into those ears. She should tell her husband that Nigerian students deserve to be studying in university campuses like Hansei University where she received her doctorate degree. Nigerians can only hope she won’t trifle with this duty to have a heart-to-heart with her husband as an advocate for millions of Nigerian students. She must cajole and nudge her husband to roll up his sleeves and go to work for all Nigerians, not the special, privileged interests whose company he keeps. That’s the best way to repay those she inadvertently insulted by her effrontery and ill-advised award. And Nigerians deserve nothing less from Dr. Patience Jonathan!
