SAN FRANCISCO, May 05, (THEWILL) – The embattled wife of Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Shettima, may have shunned the Abuja weekend meeting with the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan in order not to be ridiculed and embarrassed in the presence of other wives of state governors in attendance.
Rather than attend personally, she chose to send a representative to the meeting, deciding to stay back in Maiduguri to prepare for a trip to Chibok, where she met with parents of the abducted girls in order to support them.
Dame Jonathan was reported to have accused the Borno Governor’s wife of showing less concern over the abduction of the Chibok school girls since she did not attend the meetings held by women and hosted by Dame Jonathan at the Presidential Villa Abuja at the weekend.
But reacting to the accusation in a statement issued by her Press Secretary ,Aisha Muhammad Hassan, on Monday, the Borno Governor’s wife said while Dame Jonathan painted a different picture,she had actually visited Abuja on April 28 where she briefed the First Lady at the Villa on the abduction of the school girls.
The statement noted that Nana Shettima and her husband have been unrelenting in securing freedom for the girls, stressing that some wives of service chiefs and National women leader of the PDP, Mrs. Kema Chikwe were present when the Governor’s wife met with the First Lady.
The statement noted that the First Lady appreciated the efforts of the Governor’s wife and even consoled her when she noticed that she was obviously depressed.
The statement lamented that it was therefore shocking to the Governor’s wife when she saw Dame Jonathan on the television accusing the Governor of Borno as being responsible for the abduction.
“It became clear to the Governor’s wife that from the body language of the First Lady and some of her close associates at the Saturday meeting, there was high possibility that the First Lady’s demand for the Governor’s wife on Sunday was to humiliate her by accusing her husband to her face in the midst of participants at the meeting and she thought it was better she concentrates on her planned trip to Chibok on Monday morning,” the statement said.
According to the statement, before her meeting with Dame Jonathan on April 28, the Governor’s wife had held a meeting with coalition of women groups that included stakeholders of Chibok, officials of the National Council of Women Societies, wives of security chiefs in Borno State, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Federation of Muslim Women of Nigeria, Association of Christian Widows, Association of Muslim Widows, the National Association of women journalists, selected female professionals that included university lecturers, political appointees and the Principal of the attacked school after which a communique was issued as was reported by the media.
It said the communique was presented to Dame Jonathan by the Governor’s wife and she showed appreciation at the governor’s wife efforts.
The statement said the Governor’s wife had led women in Borno into a week of fasting and at the end, she hosted them again to review the situation while she was also part of the procession at the workers day to call for the release of the schoolgirls.
“The fact of the matter is that Hajiya Nana Shettima is right now in Chibok, she has met with parents of our daughters and sisters, the schoolgirls abducted to offer support to them. Some of the parents have been discovered to have health challenges that will be immediately addressed.
“Mrs Shettima left today (Monday) for Chibok after she was finally given a security clearance that was delayed since last week for operational reasons we can’t fault. Mrs Shettima is more concerned about the release of the schoolgirls who are daughters of Borno as well as providing crucial support to their parents who are having serious trauma that can affect their health and which require prompt attention.
“The Governor’s wife has the highest respect for the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and couldn’t have done anything to disrespect her. The First Lady and her confidants can bear testimony to how respectful and obedient the Governor’s wife has been to her in the last three years and how she promptly attends to all events relating to the First Lady however inconvenient.
“The Governor’s wife regards the First Lady as a mother given her age and position as mother of the nation. Rather than present herself for a clash in an event her husband, the Governor was disparaged before her at the Sunday meeting, which could have prompted an emotional reaction,it was out of respect for the First Lady that the Governor’s wife requested the assistance of the State’s Commissioner for Women Affairs as a representative to the meeting even when she had the option of ignoring the invitation and not sending any representative.
“But the Governor’s wife will expect that her husband’s status as a Governor, elected by millions of Nigerians in Borno State is recognised and respected in line with constitutional, moral and African values.
“The Governor’s wife recognises and respects the status of the First Lady and her influence but without also forgetting that it is God, not humans, that gives power to anyone He wills at His appointed time and place and it is also God that keeps anyone is power or out of it,” the statement said.
