HOW PATIENCE JONATHAN AND BOLA SHAGAYA BECAME BEST FRIENDS

Dame Patience Fafa Jonathan, the wife of Nigeria;s president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is one woman that enjoys the friendship of very few women. One of Patience’s close friends is Hajia Bola Muinat Shagaya, the celebrated businesswoman and society lady. The bond between the two friends was established when the late Stella Obasanjo was the First Lady of the country. Being a very close friend of the Stella, Shagaya was always invited to state functions by the wives of the governors. She was particularly drawn to Patience, whose husband was then the governor of Bayelsa State, because of her amiable nature. Thus, when Jonathan became the Vice-President during the regime of the late Umaru Yaradua, Patience thought it wise to get closer to Shagaya so as to draw from her fertile knowledge of business and social networkings. It was gathered that this move really enhanced their friendship.

Somehow, Turai, wife of President Umaru Yaradua, got jealous of the closeness between these two friends.  She tried so hard to tear them apart, while at the same time, she made several efforts to draw Shagaya close to her. But she couldn’t succeed in this regard. 

It was gathered that Turai treated Patience with so much disdain, while she and the Cabal within her husband’s government, saw to it that the office of the Vice-President encountered paucity of funds. During this period, Shagaya was one of the few women who stood by Patience and her family, giving them a lot of moral support. It is gathered that the First Lady is always overwhelmed by the support and love, which Shagaya showered on her during her family trying periods. In return, she always makes sure she plays prominent role whenever Shagaya hosts any event. Notable among some of Shagaya’s parties that Patience had featured in are her 50th birthday ceremony in 2009, her first son, Sheriff’s wedding in 2010 and her second son, Hakeem’s wedding in 2013. 

Shagaya is one of most formidable businesswomen in Nigeria. Her tentacle spreads across oil and gas, photography, banking and real estate. A leading importer of base oil into the country, Shagaya is the Managing Director of Practoil Nigeria Limited. This is set up to meet the needs of some of the local lubricant blending plants in the country. Presently, Practoil has structured a lubricating plant in Lagos, which is expected to produce multi-grade oils and lubricants. Shagaya, who is one of the directors in Unity Bank, also looms large within the real estate sector. She owns a sprawling estate in Abuja and many commercial properties and real estates in Lagos.