Nigerian President-elect Muhammadu Buhari beat incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan with over two million votes to win the 2015 Nigerian elections held in March. On 29 May, Buhari will be sworn-in as the new president of the Nigerian republic, which will make Aisha Buhari the new first lady of Nigeria. While officially the wives of the Nigerian president have no role, they still wield a lot of influence on the daily presidential activities.
Aisha Buhari, the new first lady of Nigeria, has maintained a low-profile until now, but as noted by AFP, she could now "impose a very different style from the current First Lady at the presidential villa Aso Rock in Abuja."
Here are 10 things to know about the wife of the new President of Nigeria.
1. Marriage: The now 44-year-old Buhari married her 72-year-old husband in 1989 after he divorced his first wife Hajiya Safinatu. The couple have five children together - four daughters and a son.
2. Childhood: The Nigerian first lady is from the Fulani tribe and was brought up in Adamawa state where she was schooled in the best of Fulani traditions and cultures. Her name before she took on Buhari's surname was Hajiya Aisha Halilu, Naij reported.
3. Origins: Aisha Buhari was born in the family of Nigeria's first defence minister, Mohammadu Ribadu, in Adamawa state.
4. Education: The soon-to-be first lady is fluent in English and Arabic, besides the local language. She also has a degree in public administration from Ahmadu Bello University, a prestigous educational facility famous in Africa. She also is pursuing a Master's Degree in International Affairs & Strategic Studies from Nigerian Defense Academy (NDA), reports Vanguard.
5. Beauty and Brains: The first lady is also a certified Esthetician and has even written a book titled "The Essentials of Beauty Therapy," according to Bellanaija.
6. Aisha asked incumbent president to resign: The first lady in 2014 hit out against Goodluck Jonathan and asked for his resignation, following a suicide bombing and an alleged assassination attempt on her husband.
Here is an extract from her statement, which put her in limelight.
"As he saw grieving families suffering with the pain of losing their loved ones and the sadness and resentment of the public, he took responsibility as prime Minister; he apologised to his country and resigned because of service to humanity.
Jonathan should emulate such a leader, because Nigerians have been dying daily, for the four years, hoping that government is going to do something, but we are tired of this insecurity and increased attacks on innocent people.Where is Jonathan? What is he doing? If action is not taken now, when? It is not enough to verbally condemn; action is long overdue."
7. Aisha is respected by many in Nigeria: Journalists and others in Nigeria who have interacted with Aisha Buhari see her as a humble and unassuming person. "I met Aisha Buhari three times, and she seems to be a very humble person, very friendly and a good listener," lawyer Ebere Ifendu, head of the Women in Politics Forum group in Abuja, told AFP.
8. First Lady is a successful entrepreneur: The Nigerian first lady, who has diplomas and training in cosmetology and beauty from institutions in Paris and London, is a successful esthetician and currently manages a spa and beauty institute in Kaduna and Abuja.
9. I'm not going to be 'First Lady' but – Aisha Buhari: The president-elect's wife recently in an interview said she would not like to be addressed as the first lady. "The former first lady, late Mariam Babangida, may her soul rest in peace, introduced the office of the first lady, but I am beginning to think that she died with the glory of the office. I think I will prefer to be called the wife of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria than the first lady of Nigeria," she said.
10. Aisha Buhari is all for Women Empowerment in Nigeria: Even before the elections, the President-elect's wife had made it a point to emphasise on women empowerment in the country. She recently told media that in her role as the First Lady, she will "lead in the fight for the right of women and malnourished children, infant mortality rate, kidnapping and girl-child trafficking." She also has made it her agenda to promote women's education and urged women to work alongside men to work towards greater roles.
