Anxiety is heightening in the Presidency over the fate of First Lady, Dame Goodluck Jonathan, who has not been either seen or heard for three weeks now.

Dame Jonathan was airlifted to Germany two weeks ago for medical attention and assurances that she was recovering and would return to the country last week proved to be unrealistic as she has remained incommunicado.

As reported by News Express on Sept. 5, a spokesperson for Horst Schmidt Klinik, the hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany, to where Dame Jonathan was rushed, had revealed that she was in a bad state of health when she arrived the hospital for treatment.

The official disclosed that initial records showed that the Nigerian President’s wife had earlier been treated for food poisoning back home before being brought to Horst Schmidt Klinik, where she underwent a major surgery for a ruptured appendix to remove the poisons in her intestine.

With no concrete evidence of Dame Jonathan’s recovery, the Presidency has had to resort to prayers, beseeching God to intervene in her case.

According to today’s edition of Sunday Vanguard: “Perturbed by the continued absence of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, from the country as a result of ill-heath, the Presidency has resorted to prayers to quicken her recovery and return to the country.”

Continuing, the paper said: “Sunday Vanguard learnt yesterday that the condition of Dame Jonathan, who was reported to be recuperating and expected back in the country since last week, was still causing some concerns to her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan, and her handlers.

It was gathered that the Presidency had asked close associates and friends of the First Lady to continue to render unceasing intercessory prayers for the woman to recover from her ailment.

“A source close to the Presidency confirmed that the daily morning devotion, which Jonathan and her wife usually attend at the Villa, is being used to offer special prayers for the First Lady.”

The source was quoted as saying: “The President, as you know, is a very devoted person who has been praying for the wife and those of us who are close to them do not stop to pray for her as well.

“Yesterday (Friday), a special prayer session was conducted for her and we know that God Almighty has already healed her of whatever is afflicting her and that she will soon join us as she used to do every morning.”

Though admitting that Dame Jonathan travelled to Germany, presidency spokesmen had claimed that she went for a rest but kept sealed lips on her whereabouts. The Presidency thereafter adopted a policy of silence on the First Lady’s fate despite repeated media enquiries.

*Photo: Dame Jonathan