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THE gods must be smiling on President Jonathan’s wife, Dame Patience; and its looking like this month of July, is her “Season of Harvests”, as Pentecostal churches might describe her fortunes. A few days ago, like a bolt out of the blues, Dame Patience was appointed Permanent Secretary, by Jonathan’s proconsul in Bayelsa, Seriake Dickson.
It turns out, according to the account, that she had been collecting salary, well, for no job done, since 1999 (this can only happen in the ‘Anything Goes’ Federal Republic of Nigeria!). In a display of a dollop of her much-fangled “wisdom of the Dame”, at her swearing-in, Patience offered the “earth-shaking” constitutional amendment seeking recognition of wives of political office holders.
Dame Patience said “it is regrettable that the role of the wives of political office holders was not included in the constitution”, but thanks to her active advocacy, things might be about to change: “the proposed inclusion in the anticipated amendment WILL ENABLE THEM HAVE BENEFITS AT THE END OF THEIR HUSBAND’S TENURE OF OFFICE (HEAR! HEAR!!)”
And while we were still chewing the chord of incredulity about an absentee Permanent Secretary, last week, sychophancy landed with funfare in Abuja! A certain Defence Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA), (whatever in hell does that stand for?!) named a “refurbished” DEPOWA to Shehu Musa Yar’adua road after Madam Patience.
The VIP beneficiary of the (sycophantic!) gesture, Dame herself, said it provides “an evidence of the capability of our women to initiate and execute projects and programmes critical and beneficial to the well-being of our nation”! Indeed!
Such profound thoughts! I have a humble suggestion for President Jonathan. Didn’t Dame Patience once work “briefly” in a defunct community bank? Given that background, can’t she be appointed the next CBN Governor after the “troublesome” Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ends his tenure? Dame Patience will surely bring relevant experience to the job of stabilising Nigeria’s monetary policies.
It will also be an opportunity for a woman to hold the position for the first time!Nigerians did not recognize for a long time, that we had a gem on our hands, hiding under an “umblela”; it took President Jonathan’s Bayelsa sidekick, Seriake Dickson and the Matriachs of DEPOWA, to remind us of what we have long been missing; and believe me it says a lot about our “manhood” in Nigeria that we didn’t see what they saw in Dame Patience!
The Dame’s overdue recognition is in tune with her “Season of Harvests”; this month of July!
