I Had To Ask Three Times!” – Patience Jonathan Reveals Sh*cking Struggles Behind Her Ph.D. Journey

Speaking during a testimony and thanksgiving service at Streams of Joy International in Abuja, she recounted how the path to her doctorate was filled with self-doubt, physical exhaustion, and emotional hurdles.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

She stressed that age should never be seen as a limitation to learning, expressing her hope that her personal academic journey would inspire people of all ages to pursue education with determination and humility.

Patience Jonathan recalled how she wasn’t ashamed to ask questions multiple times during lectures, even though she was often surrounded by classmates young enough to be her children.

“When I picked up the Ph.D. form, I wondered what I needed it for after serving as First Lady. But God told me, ‘If these young ones can do it, why can’t you?’ So I gave it a try. Truthfully, those three years felt like forty.

“I wasn’t embarrassed. While the younger students grasped things quickly, I had to ask three times before I understood just one. But I didn’t give up. I kept learning. I was determined,” she said.

She added, “Education has no age limit. Whether you’re 10 or 100, you can achieve your goals. Stay focused like I did — with determination, you will succeed.”

Mrs. Jonathan also used the occasion to call for national unity and urged religious leaders to pray for Nigeria, emphasizing that collective effort is essential for the country’s development.

“Nigeria is our home — it belongs to all of us. One person alone cannot build this nation. Only through unity and collaboration can we achieve greatness,” she said.

Concluding her testimony, she praised God for making what once seemed impossible a reality:

“Last week, I graduated. I give God all the glory. If I, Patience, could do it, then you — especially the young people — can do even more.”