By Charles Adingupu
Despite criticisms trailing the creation of the Office of the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Buhari, the outgoing occupant of the office has declared that certain privileges, including payment of stipends, should be accorded to wives of the nation’s presidents at the end of their husbands’ tenures.
Mrs Buhari made the demand at the launch of a book in Abuja authored by the president of the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA), Mrs Vickie Anwuli Irabor, titled ‘The Journey of a Military Wife’.
The office of Nigeria’s First lady was made flamboyant during the tenure of late Mrs Mariam Babangida, the creator of an extensive social welfare for rural women popularly known as “Better Life For Rural Women.”
The huge amount of money budgeted for the office of the first lady has made NIgerians cynical about the office, arguing that since the office is not enshrined in the nation’s constitution, it is illegal.
Yet the outgoing First Lady insisted that the office must be recognised, and listed privileges that should accrue to it to include the provision of vehicles, sponsored medical treatments, provision of some stipends, among others.
Mrs Buhari pointed out that first ladies deserved these privileges just like their husbands in office and out of office, saying that “when the pressure comes, nobody wants to know whether you are out of the villa or not.”
Under Nigeria’s laws, ex-presidents are entitled to a pension package which includes the salary of the incumbent that will be drawn by them till death.
While justifying the reasons such privileges should be extended to first ladies, Mrs Buhari said: “I married my husband as wife of a former president. I am going in a few days as wife of a former president a second time
They should consider us as former first ladies. They should incorporate the first ladies, give us some privileges that we deserve as first ladies,” she said, adding that whatever would be paid should not be for “just to the former presidents,” she said.
She commended Mrs Irabor for the book which she described as a factual, emotional book that will help officers’ wives navigate their lives.
Mrs Buhari said the book “underscores women as agents of stability for the nation as the nation battled insurgency and other security challenges.
“It’s a guide and reference for military wives and underlines the need for better support for military widows. The insights from the book will help readers appreciate the challenges of the military family.
Earlier, a former First Lady, Mrs Maryam Abacha, praised Mrs Irabor’s efforts and called for greater cooperation among military families.
Mrs Abacha recalled the good times she enjoyed as a military wife.
She said: “I married my husband a long time ago. I married him as a civilian before he joined the army. We went through the war. He became commander, then GOC. We always prayed to God for the soldiers and the nation.
“Those days in the 60s, the mess was a friendly place where we learnt a lot and exchanged ideas. I pray that NAOWA, DEPOWA and others continue to thrive. I am very proud to be a soldier’s wife and very proud of the legacies we left.”
The chairperson of the occasion, Senator Daisy Danjuma, wife of a former Minister of Defence and retired army chief, General TY Danjuma, relived the experience of military wives and experience of some military officers as well.
Said she, “We celebrated good times, and mourned when some were executed during coup d’etat.
Army officers do not prevaricate when they want to marry. They give their wives room to develop, acquire more education. You know job and postings, you have to be strong”.
In her speech, Mrs Irabor described the military wife as an unsung heroine, noting that for many years, military wives were never celebrated in spite of being the ones operating behind the scene to support the career of their spouses in securing the nation.
