Things that bothered Aisha Buhari

First, the Buhari household just celebrated when three of its brood were called to bar and this threesome aspires to be SANs, judges and justices someday; thus, Aisha Buhari would not be the least pleased about what Mamman Daura boys (the DSS) just did to our judiciary top guns and, let us face it, in her mind she ought to wonder if this DSS’s raid is the lot of her children thirty of so years removed from now. Even more worrisome for Aisha is the fact that this Mamman Daura, who is her husband’s nephew, has been identified as a member of the cabal that shields her opinions from her husband. 

Second, rubbishing the former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, because $15 million or $30 million was found in her accounts would surely set Aisha on edge; so, as a sitting first lady who runs an NGO, would she be criminalised in the near-future (when Oga is no longer on seat or when Oga kaputs) if, say, $100 million is found in her account? Afterall, NGOs are social vehicles that supplement governments’ endeavours and money inflow into their coffers are certainly not “corrupt” funds. 

Why, the Federal Government or Dangote Group could make hefty donations to such NGOs and that would be perfectly legal. Thus, in Aisha’s mind she ought to wonder if some future EFCC not under the behest of her husband would come calling and publishing her account details smack on the pages of newspapers; it is being whispered that Mr. Magu, the EFCC’s boss, answers directly to Daura and, oh, this web is getting quite complicated around Aisha.

Who can blame Aisha for crying out loud? Really, has President Buhari taken a vow of poverty without first consulting his wife and children? Is Buhari pleased to see the photo-shoot of his daughter, Mrs. Zainab Buhari-Bello, stooping in obeisance to collect a donation-cheque of a mere N3.5 million from Mr. Dickson “Asquandi” Akor (D-G, Peace Corps Nigeria) for her NGO? Yes, for a presidential family-member-standard, the sum of N3.5 million is really “mere” and petty; the risk herein is, say, I have N10 million to “burn,” I could so easily convince the president’s daughter to attend my birthday party here in Minna (sure, if she would stoop in obeisance for N3.5 million then she would attend my party for N10 million). See, Mr. Buhari’s ill-advised and terribly-misplaced “anti-corruption war” would surely pauperise his household! 

Really, Aisha and Mrs. Zainab Buhari-Bello are legally entitled to run NGOs that manage billions of naira, but their husband and father has to make sane adjustments in the body polity and stop harassing opposition elements by the instruments of EFCC, DSS, etc. President Buhari should have paved the way, so to speak, for Patience (“Mama Peace”) and Aisha to be friends so “Mama Peace” could teach Aisha a thing or two about the complexities of the role of a first lady, especially saving for the day when one’s husband becomes “former president.”

Sunday Adole Jonah,Department of Physics,Federal University of Technology, Minna.