By Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye
When
I saw the headline in a national newspaper last weekend indicating that the
federal government had “abolished the office of First Lady,” I hastened to read
the report thinking that President Muhammadu Buhari has finally gratified the
wishes of many Nigerians by terminating the overly wasteful, distractive and
illegal position usually assumed by the spouses of our rulers.
 |
*Aisha Buhari |
Anyone
familiar with my writings would easily recall that I have remained unrepentantly
opposed to that illegal “office” behind which many spouses of Nigerian presidents,
governors and even council chairmen hide to squander public resources, wield obscene
influence and almost run a parallel administration. You could, therefore, imagine
my excitement on seeing a headline that seemed to suggest that an end has finally
been put to the whole revolting glamorization of illegality and frivolity.
But
I was brutally disappointed. What Buhari did was merely to “abolish” Six and replace it with Half-Dozen. His wife will now assume
the “Office
of the Wife of the President” instead of that of the “First
Lady.” It is, however, doubtful if a mere name-change would introduce the
slightest hint of departure from the notorious preoccupations that have over
the years distinguished the contraption referred to as “First Ladyship” in Nigeria
