THE SPOUSE GIRLS
Africa's First Wives Club
ALL eyes were on Africa’s heads of state at the US-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington this week. But never mind food security, peace and stability — it was the continent’s first ladies who had many enthralled.
Everyone knows Michelle Obama, the hostess, but who are the VIP African partners?
The headliner
Talk about stealing the show. There is certainly no other African presidential plus-one who has got more people talking than the first lady of Cameroon, Chantal Biya.
The jury is out on whether her Dolly Parton-meets-Marie Antoinette aesthetic is fabulous or frightening — but it cannot be denied that her over-the-top look is a great conversation starter. Biya towers over husband President Paul Biya (thanks to platform heels and that hair) and wears everything from French couture brands Chanel and Dior to bespoke, traditional Cameroonian outfits, complete with spectacular headdresses.
There are blogs devoted to her style and her hairstyles have sparked a wave of trends in Cameroon. The ’do she sports for official events even has a name. Fancy getting a banane done, anyone?
The expats
Former Mozambican first lady and then South African first lady, Graça Machel, leads this pack. She is not alone in being an immigrant first lady, however.
Gabon’s fashion plate, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, was born in Paris, spent much of her childhood living in Cameroon and Tunisia and then moved to Libreville in Gabon.
Ivory Coast’s blonde bombshell, Dominique Ouattara, was born and grew up in Algeria.
The smart cookies
For Christine Kaseba of Zambia and Roman Tesfaye of Ethiopia, their duties in office pretty much pale in comparison with their own careers.
Kaseba is a doctor of obstetrics and gynaecology who has practised and lectured in Lusaka for years, and Tesfaye, who worked for the AU as an economist, holds master’s degrees in economics and leadership.
The big spenders
Sure, a first lady should be well turned out for state visits and official dinners, but there are a few of our leading lasses who take the buying of big brands to a new level.
Ana Paula dos Santos of Angola and Zimbabwe’s Grace Mugabe are cases in point.
Former model and air hostess Dos Santos has long been criticised for her lavish lifestyle — funded by her many business interests (including those in the diamond industry). Mugabe, who recently entered Zimbabwe’s political arena, is known for outrageous shopping trips abroad and reportedly spent $120 000 (about R1.2-million) during one European spending spree. She once famously said: “I have very narrow feet, so I wear only Ferragamo.”
Mugabe was an absentee at the White House this week. Her husband, Robert, was not invited to the summit by US President Barack Obama.