Former First Lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan, has opened up about the struggles she faced while pursuing her Doctorate, revealing that she came close to quitting her PhD program due to the pressure from her lecturers.

Speaking during a testimony session at Streams of Joy International Church, Mrs. Jonathan, who recently earned a PhD in Psychology, Guidance, and Counselling from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, reflected on the emotional and academic challenges that tested her resolve.

She shared how repeated academic demands, particularly from lecturers who insisted on perfection, nearly pushed her to the brink.

“There were times my lecturer would annoy me, saying, ‘Go and rewrite this page,’” she recalled with humor. “And I would think to myself, ‘Doesn’t this man know I’m old? Soon, I’ll just walk away and rest—what do I even need this for? Just to keep the brain active.’”

Despite these discouraging moments, she remained determined and eventually overcame the odds. “To the glory of God, what seemed impossible became possible, and I graduated,” she said.

Mrs. Jonathan admitted she initially lacked confidence in her ability to complete the program, especially considering her past role as First Lady.

“When I collected the PhD form, I wasn’t sure I could go through with it,” she said. “But God reassured me, saying, ‘If your children can do it, why can’t you?’”

She also described how she embraced her identity as the oldest student in the class, proudly sitting among much younger peers and maintaining a learner’s mindset.

“I would sit on the bench with my children. I was the ‘Mama’ in class, and I wasn’t ashamed,” she said.

Her humility extended to actively participating in class discussions, even if it meant asking for clarification multiple times.

“When the teacher was explaining, I would raise my hand and ask questions. The younger ones caught on quickly, but as ‘Mama,’ I had to ask three times to understand one thing,” she added with a smile.