Trouble on the home front

Of all Nigerian Heads of State since 1983 President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) has been the one least concerned with the position of First Lady. Prior to his election the hustle and bustle around a Nigerian Head of State’s wife had grown into a fullfledged arm of government, indeed it was a growth industry! Ongoing investigations and revelations from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would tend to support the view “First Ladies” themselves benefitted financially. Since PMB came to office his wife Aisha has been referred to as “Wife of the President” rather than “First Lady”.

Although Aisha Buhari is better known as a beautician who obtained a Diploma in Beauty Therapy from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy, Windsor, United Kingdom and specialized in Permanent Make-up, Mesotherapy and Miocrodermabrasion, she also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), and a Master’s Degree in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. She is a vocal advocate of women’s rights and children rights and this was a focal point during her campaign for her husband’s election in 2015. She has, on several occasions, emphasized the need for young girls to get Primary and Secondary school education before getting married, saying that she believes no girl should get married before the age of 17.

Before the election she promised that her role as wife of the President of Nigeria will be limited to whatever is constitutionally recognised because PMB had promised to scrap the unconstitutional and money wasting office of the first lady. Wives of presidents have some traditional roles, like receiving guests, visiting orphanages, helping the less privileged people, leading the fight for women’s and children’s rights. The should steer clear of policy issues because they are not politicians and nobody voted for them. Mrs Buhari promised not to overstep her bounds which unfortunately she has done. In a remarkable show of either naivety or frustration Mrs Buhari, during an interview with the BBC said PMB “does not know 45 out of 50 of the people he appointed and I don’t know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years.”

She further said that those who worked to elect PMB have been abandoned for those who don’t even have voters’ cards! and that people who didn’t share the vision of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were now appointed to top posts because of influence wielded by a “few people”. Not finished she went on to say that “Some people are sitting down in their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position”. As if this was not bad enough Mrs Buhari also expressed fear of rebellion from the fifteen million people who voted her husband stating that “..if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before. I will never do it again,”. On the issue of whether the president was in charge, she said “that is left for the people to decide.”

Under normal circumstances her opinions of her husband’s affairs should be between the two of them and addressed during so called “pillow talk”. But these aren’t normal circumstances. These concerns expressed publicly on BBC by Aisha Buhari regarding her husband’s administration, can only be an indication of either a personal and cynical frustration at losing out in the power permutations, or a truly selfless and patriotic denunciation of political appointees who threaten to mar her husband’s presidency. Her decision to publicly air her concerns shocked many Nigerians who believe that a wife’s place is to support her husband. The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have jumped all over her statements claiming that it indicates the high level of discontent with the president’s leadership. PMB himself hasn’t helped matters. When after a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he was asked about his wife’s comments he provoked the ire of feminists worldwide by replying that “I don’t know exactly what party my wife belongs to, actually she belongs in the kitchen, the living room and the other rooms in my house”.

Now all we can expect is that the press will go back to Mrs Buhari to ask for her comments on her husband’s statement. The matter should be brought to a quick conclusion by teaching her to say either “I regret my initial statements as out of place”, or at worse “no comment”. As a result of her error and husband’s demeanour Mrs Aisha Buhari should expect to be confined more to the home. Having said that, her gaffe is not altogether valueless. Apart from publicising national frustration with PMB’s administration, it is seen as a shrill and strident voice emanating from the leader’s bedroom that the nation appears to be hostage to a new cabal and isn’t moving fast enough in a direction that will lead to peace and prosperity.