Delta State University awards Patience Jonathan & Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Honorary Doctorate Degrees | Controversy Over the First Lady’s Health

Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan, and the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala were on Saturday September 8, 2012 awarded honorary doctorate degrees of the Delta State University, Abraka.

Mrs. Jonathan, was represented at the University by Zainab Maina, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. She said through Mrs Maina that the award was an evidence of friendliness and support for her efforts and pledged to support the state in the task of building the university.

In her response Mrs Okonjo-Iweala thanked the governor, the university authorities and the students for the honour and donated N1 million and N500,000 for the best students of post graduate class and undergraduate respectively.

Meanwhile, news surrounding the state of health of the First Lady has been buzzing for some days.

Last week, a news report by Sahara Reporters claimed she was receiving treatment in a German hospital for “food poisoning”. Her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu later debunked the rumours saying she wasn’t ill but was only resting in Germany. However, another report followed by Premium Times saying that she was receiving treatment in Germany for “ruptured appendicitis.” While Nigerians were still debating on her state of health, Sahara Reporters followed with another report claiming that doctors in a German clinic performed a surgical procedure her to remove “uterine fibroids” which might be cancerous.