Twelve years ago, Nigerians laughed at a woman’s tears.
When former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan broke down on national television over the abduction of schoolgirls, her emotional cry of “There is God o!” quickly became one of the most mocked moments in Nigeria’s political history. The phrase spread across social media, inspired countless memes, and was repeatedly used as comedy material.
But in 2026, many Nigerians are looking at that moment differently.
As fresh school abductions continue to shake parts of the country, a viral apology from comedian and skit maker Cute Abiola has reopened conversations about the 2014 tragedy and Patience Jonathan’s emotional reaction. What was once treated as a joke is now being viewed by many as a painful warning about a crisis that never truly ended.
For a growing number of Nigerians, the laughter of 2014 has given way to reflection, regret, and a deeper understanding of the pain behind those famous words.
The Origin of “There is God o”
The phrase “There is God o” was first heard on Sunday, May 4, 2014, during a televised meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The meeting was called by then First Lady Patience Jonathan following the mass abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State. The crisis had begun on April 14, 2014, when heavily armed Boko Haram fighters attacked the school during examinations. Posing as security personnel, they ordered 276 students out of their dormitories, loaded them into trucks, and drove them into the Sambisa Forest.
Fifty-seven of the girls managed to escape shortly after by jumping from the moving vehicles. However, 219 remained in captivity.
In the days that followed, confusion surrounded the incident. With the 2015 presidential election approaching, some officials within the federal government reportedly suspected the kidnapping was being exaggerated or manipulated for political purposes. Different authorities released conflicting figures, creating even more uncertainty.
Questions were also raised about security arrangements in Chibok. Reports indicated that federal authorities had previously warned against holding examinations in the area because of growing security threats.
Frustrated by the lack of clear information and increasing international pressure, Patience Jonathan summoned key stakeholders to a series of meetings between May 2 and May 4, 2014. Those present included Chibok school principal Mrs. Asabe Kwambura, officials from Borno State, police officers, and representatives of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The emotional breaking point came during one of those meetings on May 4. As participants gave conflicting accounts of what had happened, the First Lady became visibly upset. She questioned why the daughters of some school officials had escaped while hundreds of other girls were missing. As the reality of the situation became clearer, she broke down in tears. Weeping on national television, she said:
“All this blood you people are sharing, there is God o, there is God o, God…o… Chai, there is God o.”
The moment instantly became national news.
However, many Nigerians focused less on the message and more on her emotional delivery, grammar, and local expressions. The video spread rapidly online, and by 2015, became Nigeria’s most viewed non-music footage ever on YouTube. Yet the tragedy behind the tears never disappeared.
More than a decade later, the fate of the Chibok girls remains one of Nigeria’s most painful national wounds. Over 180 of the girls have regained their freedom through different means. Fifty-seven escaped on the night of the abduction. Another 103 were released between 2016 and 2017 through negotiations reportedly brokered by the Swiss government and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Others were rescued during military operations in later years, including some found as recently as 2024.
Many of those who returned faced enormous challenges. Several were sponsored by the Nigerian government to study at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, but reports showed that many struggled academically because of years spent in captivity and the psychological trauma they endured.
Some returned with children fathered by Boko Haram fighters after being forced into marriages. Many of these women and their children have faced rejection and suspicion from members of their communities.
The story is even more painful for those who never came home.
According to recent reports by the United Nations and Amnesty International, between 82 and 91 of the girls remain missing. Former captives have reported that some died from airstrikes, illness, childbirth complications, snake bites, or starvation. Others are believed to have been married off to senior Boko Haram members and become deeply integrated into the group. Reports also suggest that active negotiations for the remaining girls have largely slowed, leaving many parents with little hope beyond prayer.
It is this unfinished tragedy that gives new meaning to Patience Jonathan’s tears in 2026.
The 2026 Turning Point: Cute Abiola’s Apology
Twelve years after the Chibok abduction, Nigeria found itself facing another school kidnapping crisis.
About 46 people were abducted, including 39 students and seven teachers. Some of the students were reportedly as young as two years old. One teacher was killed during the attack, while another was later beheaded. Several victims, including toddlers, were still missing as public concern grew.
The incident immediately revived painful memories of Chibok. As news of the abduction spread, netizens began drawing comparisons between 2014 and 2026. This time, however, the public reaction was different.
One of the loudest voices was comedian and skit maker Cute Abiola. In a public message addressed to Patience Jonathan, he apologized for the way many Nigerians had mocked her emotional reaction years earlier.
“Mummy! We just want to say we are sorry,” he wrote. The apology quickly went viral.
Rather than treating Patience Jonathan’s tears as a joke, many Nigerians agreed with Abiola’s message. They argued that although she couldn’t do much about the situation, her emotions in 2014 reflected genuine concern for victims and their families.
In his widely shared post, Cute Abiola wrote:
“MUMMY! I just want to say we are sorry 🙏
Years ago, when you cried on national television over the pain, bloodshed, and kidnapping of innocent children,
You felt the pain of the victims and their families. You spoke with emotion because you understood the gravity of what was happening to our nation.
Today, as kidnapping and insecurity continue to affect innocent Nigerians, many now realize that your tears were not weakness. they were humanity.
We are sorry for the ridicule. Thank you for caring. Thank you for speaking up. And may God comfort every family affected by this tragedy and restore peace to our nation.”
The message resonated across different social media platforms. Thousands of netizens shared similar sentiments, admitting that they now viewed the former First Lady’s reaction differently.
For the first time in years, Nigerians were not repeating “There is God o” as a joke. They were repeating it as a reminder of a tragedy that never truly ended.
Why Patience Jonathan’s “There is God o” hits differently in 2026
The renewed attention on Patience Jonathan’s famous statement reflects a broader shift in how many Nigerians view leadership during national tragedies.
In 2014, her emotional breakdown was widely criticised. Many saw it as unpresidential, poorly delivered, and embarrassing.
In 2026, however, public expectations appear to have changed. Following the Oyo school abductions, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu faced criticism after her 2026 Children’s Day message made no reference to the children being held by kidnappers.
When she later addressed the issue during a visit to Ekiti State, her comments were measured and cautious. She said security efforts could not be publicly disclosed and urged Nigerians to remain hopeful.
For many citizens, the contrast between both moments was striking. Patience Jonathan’s reaction in 2014 was emotional, raw, and unscripted. She openly cried on national television and expressed outrage over the suffering of children and parents.
By comparison, many Nigerians viewed modern official responses as carefully managed and politically cautious. That difference helps explain why Cute Abiola’s apology gained so much attention. When Patience Jonathan cried, “All this blood you people are sharing, there is God o,” many people heard poor grammar and emotional excess. Twelve years later, many hear something else.
They hear a woman overwhelmed by the loss of innocent lives. They hear the frustration of parents whose children disappeared. They hear a warning about what happens when national tragedies become political arguments.
The phrase hits differently in 2026 because the insecurity that produced it never truly disappeared. What once sounded like a viral joke now sounds like a painful reminder of a crisis that continues to affect families across the country.
Conclusion
Cute Abiola’s apology is about more than regret for mocking a former First Lady. It reflects a wider national rethinking of one of Nigeria’s most memorable political moments.
In 2014, many Nigerians laughed at Patience Jonathan’s tears. In 2026, many are asking whether they misunderstood what they were seeing.
The Chibok tragedy remains unfinished. Dozens of girls are still missing. Fresh abductions continue to occur. Families are still waiting for answers.
Against that backdrop, Patience Jonathan’s famous words have taken on a new meaning. What was once treated as internet comedy is now being revisited as a cry of anguish from a woman confronted with the human cost of insecurity.
Twelve years later, the memes have faded, but the tragedy remains.
And for many Nigerians, “There is God o” no longer sounds funny. It sounds painfully true.
