by Abimbola Adelakun

The photograph of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Lagos State interdenominational thanksgiving service standing with his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Governor Babatunde Fashola on the front row says something about the APC presidential candidate.

There have been murmurs about his donning a fez cap in church – that he is a Muslim disrespecting Christian tradition. For me, his forgetting to take off his cap shows he has yet to fully master the nuances and rituals of spaces he is treading for the sake of his political ambition. If I were a Christian, I would pardon him. What is not so easily dismissable in the photo-op, however, is much more telling than his cap. In the picture, all the aforementioned men had their wives by their sides except Buhari.

For a man who preaches “change” and desires to rule a country made up of men and women in almost equal halves, I wonder why he finds the anomaly of an “invisible wife” wholesome. Interestingly, this is not the first time that Mrs Aisha Buhari would be left behind in her husband’s aspiration.

In 2003, she was not prominent when he lost to Olusegun Obasanjo’s “moonslide.” Four years later, not much had changed though one could argue that his biggest opponent, Umaru Yar’Adua, did not “use” his wife to campaign either. In 2011, when the presidential election was on, I asked one of Buhari’s closest aides where Mrs Buhari was and why she was practically unseen in her husband’s various campaign efforts.

My query sprang from his image: If you are being termed an ogre, furnish reasons why you could not be one. His wife standing side-by-side with him would, I told the aide, soften his unimpressible image.

This Buhari’s aide agreed with me that his wife would be strategically invaluable for his persona. He said she was coming to Lagos at that time and he would arrange press interviews to introduce her to the public.

The aide called shortly after to say Buhari was not sold to the idea. The aide was apologetic while explaining why Buhari did not want his wife displayed like a ware even in the heat of campaigns. He said Buhari himself could be rather reticent; then, I should consider the religious factor, and that the General was too disciplined for such and several etceteras. I wished him the best and left it at that. By then, Patience Jonathan was criss-crossing the country and canvassing votes for her husband in her peculiar ways. Even though she was being mocked for her lack of sophistication, she was winning some hearts because of her confidence.

By the time Buhari’s wife would surface to sell the “softer” side of her husband; by the time people saw her on TV expressing herself more articulately than the woman who would become the First Lady, the election had practically been won and lost.

We were eventually availed her credentials: she is not just a housewife who sits at home making “Fura de Nunu” for her husband but a distinguished person in her own right. I do not claim Buhari’s loss of the 2011 election had to do with his wife but I think the belatedness of her emergence was a flaw.

If your own spouse is not at the forefront of your dream, it could be interpreted in several ways. One is that the woman does not believe in you enough, or that you do not have faith in her abilities, or you are the alpha male who believes women should be seen and not heard. Any which way, it does not look good.

After three defeats, you would expect Buhari’s packaging to prominently include his wife. You would expect an image of him as a loving husband and devoted husband to be part of his virtues marketed to the public. You would have thought he would take his wife with him for the photo-ops he is garnering in churches and elsewhere. But no, she is still missing in the picture.

When Buhari had a photo-shoot recently where he was dressed in the attire of various cultures of Nigeria, I wondered why he was the only one in the picture. How does a man run for president, take pictures of himself at a desk with the Nigerian flag in the background but his partner of many years would be missing from the shoots? They decked the General in suit and even had a picture of him “hi-fiving” a child but there is none where his wife appears? Why? I do not want to speculate on his private life as a married man but I think those images portray him as a self-centred person who does not share space.

When the picture of his family appeared, eventually, we saw his wife, children, son-in-law and even grandchildren but this time, Buhari himself was missing. I am still trying to wrap my head around the kind of PR that misses the simple fact that Buhari should have appeared in his family picture.

There are several reasons one can adduce for Buhari and his wife’s photo hide-and-seek. One, the culture of lovey-dovey is simply not him. Like the Igbo proverb that says a man cannot learn to be left-handed in old age, I wager that this is a left-handedness that Buhari has not learnt and is probably a far harder lesson than removing his cap during a church service. Two, he probably thinks being seen with a woman will detract from his famed militarist discipline and Spartan image. He has done a lot of bending just to project himself as a non-Islamic fundamentalist pan Nigerian statesman but the woman aspect just does not resonate well with him – yet. Third, the religion and culture Buhari has known all his life do gift a second-class citizen status to women.

As if the invisible wife syndrome is not grave enough, he even threatened to abolish the office of the First Lady. Did he think the “First Ladyship” is all about frivolity and has no symbolic and cultural value that redeems it? Did he consider the implication of such a move for his image and ultimately, ambition? His manifesto promises women empowerment but I wonder how he proposes to empower Nigerian women when his own wife is tucked away from view.

True, Nigeria has had First Ladies who have turned out as a real nuisance; Area Mothers who have their aliterate fingers spotted in every political conundrum. The classlessness of some, however, should not overshadow the beauty of others who reinvented themselves and rose to the status of a genuine First Lady.

Abimbola Adelakun is a journalist, columnist and fiction writer. She lives in Lagos, Nigeria. She is also a doctoral student.

Opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.


http://www.thetrentonline.com/abimbola-adelakunwhere-mrs-buhari/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

You mean the billionaire whose source of wealth has been shielded from public scrutiny?


Buhari - Poor

Wife - a billionaire


If you think otherwise, take me to court for proof otherwise do some research..

Go and sit down, we are voting for GMB/PYO not their wives. I hope that's clear enuff

There was a time APC were claiming she is the best woman in nigeria after ezekwesili. We dont know which one to believe. Since APC are known liers then they should stop lieing and and bring her forward for us to see.

[size=14pt]True talk where is Mrs. Buhari[/size]

When Buhari had a photo-shoot recently where he was dressed in the attire of various cultures of Nigeria, I wondered why he was the only one

in the picture. How does a man run for president, [size=18pt]take pictures of himself at a desk with the Nigerian flag in the background but his partner of

many years would be missing from the shoots?
[/size]

They decked the General in suit and even had a picture of him “hi-fiving” a child but there is none where his wife appears? Why? I do not want

to speculate on his private life as a married man but I think those images portray him as a self-centred person who does not share space.

The office of the first lady is not constitutional.
Besides, of what good is the wife of your lord cluelessness?

View Buhari Vs Jonathan

Women empowerment credentials below

Maybe you guys were blind when his wife visited Tinubu and Lagos State Deputy Governor about some weeks ago. BTW, Buhari owes no one any explanation as to why his wife has not been going out with him to campaign.

Meanwhile, they shouldn't just bring the cap ish here. Not that I want to justify Buhari for putting on his cap nor do I want to condemn Sambo for putting on his cap in the Church as well. Guess they were too blind to notice that Buhari removed his cap when he attended a mass/service in Imo State yesterday!

True that! The write up is on point. The question now is #b.o.k.ohariwhereisyourwife??

Just another Mumu post... Where have u been when the pictures and posts of Buhari's wife making FP since? Ejo lo fe ro...

We in the General's camp we aint shaking cos victory is sure... Next u would ask for is the General's Mom, Oponu Oshi...

Sai Buhari...

The office of the first lady may not be constitutional but "Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife". - Groucho Marx

Buhari your certificate has become a ghost, please, is your wife also a ghost ?
[size=28pt]
Buhari where is YOUR WIFE [/size]

donphilopus:
Maybe you guys were blind when his wife visited Tinubu and Lagos State Deputy Governor about some weeks ago. BTW, Buhari owes no one any explanation as to why his wife has not been going out with him to campaign.

Meanwhile, they shouldn't just bring the cap ish here. Not that I want to justify Buhari for putting on his cap nor do I want to condemn Sambo for putting on his cap in the Church as well. Guess they were too blind to notice that Buhari removed his cap when he attended a mass/service in Imo State yesterday!

God Bless... GEJ supporters are clueless just like GEJ himself not knowing that he dat lives in glass house don't throw stones. What can dey say of Sambo wif his caps on?

Epic. Classical. I lack words to encourage this well thought beautiful write-up.

Make una no finish this man na.

..dem tell am make him remove him cap, he go throw away the cap kpata kpata.

Abi, donphilopus, you no see say others hold their cap for hand.

Buhari said there'll be no office for First lady if he wins, hence Mrs Buhari has either returned to the kitchen or has most likely joined Team GEJ.

Firefire:



Why is Buhari and his co tenants not removing their caps at the Thanksgiving Service in Lagos

Is that a church?

There have been murmurs about his donning a fez cap in
church

Stupid lies

Obiagelli:


Is that a church?

It is not a church, but are they not praying?

Is it not a Christian gathering ?

If the desert giraffe ever wins, we may have a fatwa againt bum shorts. You his lady supporters should get ready to go back to the kitchen because that is where grand imam buhari beleives women should be and that is whre his wife is.. big kitchen!

Firefire:


It is not a church, but are they not praying?

Is it not a Christian gathering ?

What makes it a christian gathering?

Below is buhari in a church, Okorocha's daughter wedding

Obiagelli:

What makes it a christian gathering?

Below is buhari in a church, Okorocha's daughter wedding

You are a woman, don't take style change the topic

[size=28pt]
WHERE IS BUHARI's WIFE[/size]

Ngwakwe:
You mean the billionaire whose source of wealth has been shielded from public scrutiny?


Buhari - Poor

Wife - a billionaire


If you think otherwise, take me to court for proof otherwise do some research..

Ngakwe is a religious bigot and tribalist. If you think otherwise, take me to court for proof otherwise do some research.

Wey Buhari wife na!

[s]

Firefire:
The office of the first lady may not be constitutional but "Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife". - Groucho Marx

Buhari your certificate has become a ghost, please, is your wife also a ghost ?
[size=28pt]
Buhari where is YOUR WIFE [/size]

[/s]

Nairaland resident troll.

donphilopus:
Maybe you guys were blind when his wife visited Tinubu and Lagos State Deputy Governor about some weeks ago. BTW, Buhari owes no one any explanation as to why his wife has not been going out with him to campaign.

Meanwhile, they shouldn't just bring the cap ish here. Not that I want to justify Buhari for putting on his cap nor do I want to condemn Sambo for putting on his cap in the Church as well. Guess they were too blind to notice that Buhari removed his cap when he attended a mass/service in Imo State yesterday!

Ochejoseph or Ochecarpenter or what ever, u call ursef Com and c...u pipu luv to leave real issues and chase shadows! @ the federal level..the top positions are (1)President (2)VP (3) Senate president and (4)Speaker and den d ministers...get it into ur thick wooden skull once and for all, dat the first lady is just a ceremonial seat and NOT an official seat! Mofos! Thanks donphilopus for u pix and clarification