First ladies and self succession: Many Nigerian women may not like this but I just feel like following through a line of my thought. Prior to the coming to power of Gen. I.B. Babangida, there was not much heard of the office of the first lady in Nigeria. I am fully aware that this ideology is one of those cherished by our colonial masters, but we did not really buy into it until IBB came into power. Even with the fact that Gen Y. Gowon married his wife as a Head of State, he did not blow the office out of proportion. Lately, I am beginning to wonder if our so called “first ladies” are the brain behind their husbands, I mean our presidents, not knowing when the ovation is loud enough to leave office. Let’s examine: 1. Mariam Babangida: She was so powerful during her reign, and she was the power behind sighting the capital of Delta state in Asaba (her home town) instead of Warri the commercial nerve center of the State. Indeed when IBB was becoming unpopular, we gathered, she urged him to stay in power even “with his last drop of blood” if need be. Today, the rest is history. 2. Mrs. Shonekan: In fact I don’t even know her name, she was not ceremonial at all and I think that was why Baba could leave when the ovation was loud. 3. Mariam Abacha: She commands a level of power display when in power. Although Gen Sanni Abacha would not give her enough room to display, but she was also powerful. She might have subtly encouraged her husband to stay on, even when the whole country wanted him out. This was brought to fore as there was a reported massive evacuation of cash and other valuables from Aso villa to Kano their permanent resident, when her husband died, at her command even before she made an official announcement. 4. Mrs. Abdusalam: Just like Mrs. Shonekan, she was never ceremonial, she concentrated on her Law practice, and I think again, that was why Gen. Abdulsalam did not stay beyond necessary. 5. Mrs. Stella Obasanjo: In 1976 that Baba first had his first taste of the first office, he never celebrate the first lady. And by 1979 he did not stay beyond bounds. But come 1999, he resumed the office with Stella, as the first lady, she was very powerful and wield more power than most of the serving ministers. Little will I wonder that Baba that left voluntarily in 1979 has changed drastically that he was financing the third term agenda. Not until the demise of Stella, that third term agenda went to sleep. Ummm, 6. Turai Yah’Adua: She was also powerful and was highly ceremonial. Although her husband was a gentleman per excellence, she had a level of influence. When it very obvious that her husband could not continue in the office of the President, she would not let go, she ordered the hospital where her husband was, to keep him on life support machine, at least that would retain her position as the first lady. This was done even to the bitterness of many Nigerians, she would not deter, and she went as far formulating a voice for the BBC, and signing the budget, claiming all were done by her husband, just to secure her position. She only left when things fell apart. 7. Patience Jonathan: The most amazing thing about this woman was the way she cried when Yah’Adua died. I felt with her becoming the first lady, she would never forget Turai, but today, I doubt she can still remember the name. Today, madam has power more than Sambo, and other Ministers put together. Infact, the president will not take sensitive decisions until he consults with her. When she went to Rivers state, she literarily put the state under siege and will not allow the sitting governor to go out Government house. I am very sure, she will do ANYTHING to retain the title of the first lady. Please women, do not take up the position of Jezebel in the Bible, that caused Ahab to do many atrocities against humans and God, please learn from Mary, the mother of Jesus, who will be so humble not to have named any gospel after her, or have her name among the disciples. Kindly help us to take godly decisions. OBA.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 09:59:07 +0000
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