Former First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan, has described her path to earning a doctorate as one of the hardest but most fulfilling seasons of her life.

She spoke on Sunday during a testimony and thanksgiving service at Streams of Joy International, Abuja, where she thanked God for seeing her through what she called a “forty-year journey in three years.”

The wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan said, “When I went to pick up the PhD form, I asked myself, ‘What am I going to do with this now that I have finished as First Lady?’ But God told me, ‘If these young children can make it, why can’t you?’ So, I tried. Honestly, those three years felt like forty.”

According to her, the academic process was physically, mentally, and emotionally draining.

She recalled studying alongside much younger students, admitting that she had to work harder to keep up with the pace of learning.

“I wasn’t ashamed though. When the teacher was teaching, I raised my hand and asked questions. The younger ones understood quickly, but me, Mama, I had to ask three times before I understood one. I kept going. I wasn’t afraid to learn,” she added.

Patience, who graduated last week, used the occasion to urge Nigerians not to allow age or fear to stop them from pursuing education.

She said, “There is no age limit in education. Whether you’re 100 years old or 10, you can still succeed. Just be determined.”

She also thanked her children for encouraging her to attend Streams of Joy Church, where the spiritual leadership of Pastor Jerry Eze and the early morning prayers helped her stay strong throughout her studies.

The former First Lady ended her testimony by calling for peace and unity in Nigeria, urging citizens to join hands in building the country.