Opinion: Will Buhari succumb to First Ladyism? By Pius Abioje

Date: 2015-05-11

SIR: People's fears have started to materialize that those who rallied support for GMB's election only found it convenient to use him to attain power, and that they would not allow him to effect any positive change in Nigeria, even though the campaign slogan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hinged on "Change".

The power brokers, who supported his election, do practise First Ladyism themselves, and it will be ridiculous to them if GMB discards it.

GMB and his wife, Aisha, had said before the election that the "Office of the First Lady" would stand only if allowed in the Constitution. Of course, it is not constitutional.

It started with Maryam Babangida, the late wife of Nigeria's former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB).

Maryam had wondered aloud why her husband should be publicly relevant while she was relegated to the home front. That was the genesis of the "Office of the First Lady" in Nigeria.

Maryam then covered-up with what she termed a non-governmental organization christened, "Better Life for Rural Women". Over time, people saw it contrarily as "Better Life for Privileged Women.

Nevertheless, in the course of time, First Ladyism was exported to the rest of Africa, God knows with how much money thrown around for the propagation.

Even then, not every African country has created "Office of the First Lady" as in Nigeria. I spent 12 calendar months in Ghana and President John Dramani Mahama's wife was not competing with her husband on public relevance.

I don't know which country developed through the "Office of the First Lady". My research revealed that a nation's President's wife (or a Governor's wife) is too close to power to run a non-governmental organization.

GMB and his wife, Aisha, had said before the election that the "Office of the First Lady" would stand only if allowed in the Constitution. Of course, it is not constitutional. It started with Maryam Babangida, the late wife of Nigeria's former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB). Maryam had wondered aloud why her husband should be publicly relevant while she was relegated to the home front.

Those who will support the organization, financially, will be beneficiaries or those seeking the favour of her husband. In Kwara State, the people are being deceived that the Governor's wife, is running her Office and non-governmental organisation without any official budget, but funded by "her friends".

Where were those "friends" before Mrs. Ahmed became Governor's wife? Is it government's policies/programmes and women ministry or the ruler's wife that will empower women? "Office of the First Lady" is another distraction.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Bureau Of Lands     Yahaya Oloriegbe     KWAFFA     Jimoh Saadudeen Muhammed     Solomon Edoja     Bello Oyedepo     Aremu Odolaye     Kwara United     Olushola Saraki     Alaaya     Gaa Olobi     Abdulrasheed Lafia     John Olobayo     Muyiwa Oladipo Kanu     Col. Adedipe     Kayode Yusuf     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     IPSAS     Tunji Moronfoye     Niyi Ogundiran     Oniyangi     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Folashade Omoniyi     Kunle Akogun     Bayo Onimago     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     ASUU     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Ahman Pategi     Ijagbo     Seni Saraki     Magaji Nda     SWAN     Ayekale     Tunde Akanbi     Ahmed Dankaya     Sherif Shagaya     Tosin Saraki     Salman Suleiman     Alore     Asiwaju Bola Tinubu     Oja-Oba     Olokoba Abdullahi Ayinla     Sunday Fagbemi     Belgore     Kola Ologbondiyan     BECE     Sulaiman Gado     Lateef Alagbonsi     Yusuf Lawal     UNILORIN Alumni     Femtech     Ile Arugbo     Zubair Folorunsho Erubu     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Minimum Wage     Jide Oyinloye     Garba Ado Sanni     Turaki     Taofik Abdulkareem     Awodun     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Ayobola Ipinlaiye     Olatinwo     Amada Jidda     Mahmud Ayinla Giwa     Bilikis Oladimeji     Muhammad Mustapha Suleiman     Toyin Saraki     Amosa     NIPR     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Playing Host     Kwara State University Of Education     Muritala Olarewaju     ER-KANG Mining    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Gbemisola Saraki     Pacify Labs     Olatunde Michaels     Rasaq Jimoh     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Hauwa Nuru     Ajayi Okasanmi     Muhammed Aliyu     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Yahaya Dumoye     Lawal Olohungbebe     Gambari     Abdullahi AbdulMajeed     Abdullahi Atanda     Kunle Okeowo     Hijab     Baaziki Sulaiman     Edu     Mohammed Yisa     Yunus Lawal     Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory     Ganmo Power Sub-Station     Saka Balikis Kehinde     Ayo Salami     Abdulmajeed Wahab     Abdulmutalib Shittu     SSA Youth Engagement     KWATMA     NITDA     Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh     Nigerian Correctional Service     Afonja     Olokoba Sulyman     Mike Omotosho     Shaaba Lafiagi     Kwara Poly     AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro     Imodoye Writer’s Enclave     Sanusi Abubakar     Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     Lawal Jimoh     Ibrahim Abikan     Ramadhan     Yusuf Lawal     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     Tunji Moronfoye     Amuda Musbau     Sadiq Buhari     Yomi Ogunsola     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Maigida Soludero Transit     Abdulrauf Yusuf     Emir Of Ilorin     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Abdulrazaq Akorede     AbdulGafar Tosho     Sheikh Alimi     John Obuh     Yusuf Abdulwahab     Igosun     Femi Ogunsola     Wahab Abayawo     Oniwa     Apaokagi     Amada Jidda     Ramat Oganija     Firdaos Amasa     Adamu Jemilat-Baki     A.E. Afolabi     Shola Odetundun     Isiaka Saka Opobiyi     Bareke     Salami Adekunle     ER-KANG Mining     Oba Abdulrahim     Taofik Abiodun Ahmed     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf