Adeyanju Pens Emotional Open Letter, Pleads for Patience Jonathan’s Forgiveness

Popular Nigerian activist, Deji Adeyanju, has penned an emotional open letter to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, appealing for compassion in the case of her former domestic staff.

In a letter posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Adeyanju expressed deep sorrow over the reported death of Sahabi Liman, one of Jonathan’s ex-workers who, alongside 14 others, has been facing trial since 2019 over allegations of missing jewellery.

Adeyanju noted that the domestic staff have remained in custody for more than five years without resolution, describing the prolonged detention as a travesty of justice.

Part of his letter reads:

“For over five years, fifteen of your former domestic staff have been in custody, dragged endlessly through the courts over missing jewellery. Sadly, one of them, Sahabi Liman, fell gravely ill in prison and has now died.

This is no longer about missing jewellery—it is about human beings who have been caged and punished far beyond proportion. Even if found guilty, the punishment would not match the years they’ve already endured. And if they are innocent, then we have all watched them suffer for nothing.

I appeal to you, as a mother and a respected figure in our nation, to discontinue this case as a gesture of fairness and compassion, and to give these ex-workers a chance to rebuild their lives.”