Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday revealed that he had intended to remain in hiding for 12 months until when the death of one of Mrs. Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo forced him to come out. He went under the radar soon after he handed over power following his loss in the general election.
Since Jonathan lost to President Muhammadu Buhari, he was only seen in public gathering once, when he showed up at a campaign rally for Governor Seriake Dickson in his native Bayelsa State.
The former president spoke when he paid a condolence visit to Ikenne over the death of Madam Hannah Idowu Dideolu, wife of late premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Jonathan said: “We, just like the immediate children, and indeed this country, have missed her. Within this period, myself and my wife had been hiding; we didn’t go out.
“We thought would be hiding for at least twelve months. But in this particular case, we cannot hide. So, we’ve come for the condolence and to encourage our brothers and sisters that we are together.
Jonathan then went on to praise her qualities: “… “Before, I had been here severally to see mama in one way or the other. We are mourning her today; me and my wife, we are not mourning because mama has passed on.
“For me, we believe that it’s a rare privilege to add extra 29 years to the biblical two scores and ten; it’s not easy. Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have been mourning but mama was a rare mother. She was a woman of virtue as described in the bible.
“… And she was a mother to all of us; a mother that her milk of kindness we still need, her milk of encouragement we still need, her milk of advice we still need and today she’s no more with us.
“God brought her for all of us. She just had to be the direct mother of a few but she was a mother to all. We shall mourn more than even the direct children would.
The former president visited with his wife, Patience, former leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Adeola, former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel and Jide Adeniji, the former chairman of FERMA.