From 1999 to date with the inception of the present democracy
in the country, Nigeria has witnessed the emergence of different first ladies
with some especially the most recent occupant’s attitude triggering calls in
quarters for the scrapping of the office of the first lady of the federation.
President Muhammadu Buhari in coming into office had also expressed same
position.
The recent news of the visit of the wife of the President
Mrs. Aisha Buhari to Nigerian soldiers injured on the line of duty while
fighting the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents has raised issues concerning the role
first ladies are expected to play in the administrations of their husbands.
Since the present occupant Mrs Aisha Buhari came on board,
she has in her every day action shown that there is more to the office of the
First Lady than what some citizens calling for its scrapping failed to observe.
Her every move as the softer side of her husband has been very positive and
commendable to say the least.
The organisation which I represent (Niger Delta Renaissance Organisation NDRO) as
the National Coordinator had in the last general elections pitched our tent for
the then President due to nothing else than regional sentiments but with the
benefit of hindsight today, I am obliged to say that we never knew that the
present administration would have outdone the last one especially from the
perspective of the first ladyship where the occupant has shown a strong knack
for love for her people irrespective of part, regional or parochial interest and avoidance of
scandalous actions even from her aides.
It must stressed that in the history of first ladyship,Aisha
Buhari stands out in her everyday conduct and how she carries the activities of
her office with simplicity. Her style has wooed Nigerians including my humble
self to her husband not excluding die hard critics. They all are united in
their assessment of her. Unlike other number one women in the country that drew
controversies upon controversies and ensuring that ordinary Nigerians loath the
President, Mrs. Aisha has been calm refusing to give in to unnecessary power bickering. Little wonder why
Nigerians who have vehemently criticized the office have suddenly kept their cool.
Last year December, she organized a get together for social
media practitioners. The event was geared towards ensuring better on line
reportage of the government. No matter the scanty kicks against this initiative
from some quarters, Nigerians from all works of life were unanimous in their
support for such activity.
Without any intention to play to the gallery, it is a general
belief that Aisha Muhammadu Buhari is in the right track in discharging her
duties and must be commended by all and sundry for the role she is playing in
her husband’s administration. Recall her critic of the choice of a male
commissioner for women affairs in a state she visited which is an APC state.
She did not go about making unnecessary noise about it or raising issues that would have put her
husband or party in a difficult position with the said governor. Her critique
was done with utmost decorum expected of a first lady of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria.
Everybody has their own idiosyncrasies in life which will
explain the attitude or conduct of other first ladies that have occupied the
office but it is important to state that with the way Aisha Buhari is going
about with her duty, Nigerians will come to appreciate the office the better.
This article is not about praise singing her but to challenge
her to keep up with her commendable efforts. Listening to gossips, trying to
impose unpopular candidates against the people’s wishes and aspirations,
attempting to get people appointed knowing fully well that they do not merit
the office or fighting against elected officials of government should never be
witnessed in her tenure. She is there to protect her husband and must understand that she is the mother of all not
minding if the person is opposing her
husband or not. If she does this, I bet she will go in history as the most
loved of all first ladies that have traversed the office in the history of this
great nation.
On our part at the NDRO, we will not relent in ensuring that
Nigerians especially the people of Niger Delta appreciate her role in
governance who knows she might be the tool that will ensure the acceptance of
her husband within the region and not through some other persons that have
instituted hate and anger against him in
the region. Based on this, our advice is that she be courageous enough to
forgive all those who may have said or acted in ways that was not good for the
image of her husband or herself during the last elections. Forgiveness and
having a broad mind are strong characteristics of a worthy leader and Aisha
Buhari surely counts as one.
Nwokoma Messiah is the National Coordinator of Niger Delta Renaissance Organisation NDRO
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