Aisha Buhari

Aisha Buhari
First Lady of Nigeria
Assumed office
May 29, 2015
President Muhammadu Buhari
Preceded by Patience Jonathan
Personal details
Born Aisha Halilu
(1971-02-17) February 17, 1971[1][2][3]
Adamawa, Nigeria
Nationality Nigerian
Political party APC
Spouse(s) Muhammadu Buhari (m. 1989)[1][4]
Relations Muhammadu Ribadu (grandfather)
Children Halima, Zarah, Yusuf, Aisha, Amina
Residence Aso Villa
Alma mater
  • National Teachers Institute (NCE), ABU Zaria and Defence Academy, Kaduna[4]
Profession Businesswoman
Religion Islam

Aisha Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 February 1971[3]) is the wife of Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, who assumed office on May 29, 2015 after defeating the then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. She is a cosmetologist, beauty therapist and author.[5][6][7]

Early life and family

Aisha was born on 17 February 1971[8][9][10] in Adamawa State, Northeastern Nigeria.[11] Her grandfather, Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu was Nigeria's first Minister of Defence.[12] Her father was a civil engineer while her mother is a descendant of the Ankali family, renowned farmers and textile giants. Aisha Buhari went to primary and secondary school in Adamawa, where she lived with siblings, her nieces and nephews.[13] On December 2, 1989, Aisha married Muhammadu Buhari,[1][4][9] who had five children from a previous Marriage to Safinatu Yusuf. Aisha and Muhammadu Buhari have five children together and one grandchild.[14]

Education

Aisha Buhari holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),[11] and a master's degree in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna.[15] She is currently undertaking a Counselling Course on Co-Dependency in the United Kingdom. She obtained a Diploma in Beauty Therapy from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy, Windsor, United Kingdom and specialized in Permanent Make-up, Mesotherapy and Miocro-dermabrasion. She holds a post-graduate diploma in cosmetology and beauty from Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France.[16] She is a member of the United Kingdom Vocational Training and Charitable Trust and the International Health and Beauty Council.[17]

Business career

Prior to acquiring her higher degrees, Mrs. Buhari had earlier pursued a career in Beauty and fashion. For years, Mrs. Buhari has run a successful business as the Founder/Managing Director of Hanzy Spa and Principal of Hanzy Beauty Institute, a Beauty salon in Kaduna and Abuja.[18] She is a Resource Person to the National Basic Technical Education (NBTE)[19] on Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology and has participated in the curriculum development of Small Medium Enterprises for NBTE. Aisha closed her beauty salon following the emergence of her husband, Buhari as President of Nigeria.[13][20]

She went on to publish a book "Essentals of Beauty Therapy: A Complete Guide for Beauty Specialists"[21] which has been recommended as a text for the NBTE curriculum

Political career and advocacy

On July 2014, She advised Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to resign from office as President of Nigeria, following a suicide bombing and an alleged assassination attempt on her husband, Buhari.[22] She is a women's right activist and child right Advocate. She is one of the Nigerians who criticized child marriage and homosexuality.

Aisha Buhari is a vocal advocate of women's rights and children rights and this was a focal point during her campaign for her husband's election in 2015. She has, on several occasions, emphasised the need for young girls to get Primary and Secondary school education before getting married, saying that she believes no girl should get married before the age of 17.[23]

In May 2015, on the sidelines of the Global Women Conference held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she stressed the need for Nigerian laws that will protect the women from forced early marriages, sex trafficking and other issues Nigerian girls and women contend with. She raised concerns on Child sexual abuse in Nigeria, sex trafficking and the need for Legislation against early marriage.[24]

On June 12, 2015 Aisha Buhari met with some mothers of the abducted Chibok Girls, a meeting she had wanted to hold for a long time.[25] On April 14, 2016, She donated proceeds from her book to parents of the Chibok girls,the Buni yadi boys murdered in 2014 and children suffering from malnutrition.

In October 2016 Aisha Buhari said that she would not back her husband in the next election unless he got a grip on his government. He responded that she belonged in his kitchen, saying "I don't know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room."[26]

Future Assured

Future Assured is an initiative founded by Aisha Buhari to continue her advocacy work for the health and well-being of women and children through community mobilization and health promotion. She was prompted by the need to rapidly improve the current poor health outcomes of women, children and other vulnerable groups of the Nigerian population, she reaffirmed her commitment to continue working towards achieving the desired objective of improving the health and well being of the citizens of this country at a stakeholders meeting held at the presidential Villa and a Public launch[27] of Future Assured programs at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York on the 29th of September 2015.

She is currently working with Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria which as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency that has plagued the country since 2009. She set up a committee to deal with the distribution of relief materials after a visit to an IDP camp in Borno Northeast Nigeria[28][29]

Public image

She surprised Nigerians when she made it known that her role as wife of the President of Nigeria will be limited to whatever is constitutionally recognised, as she promised not to overstep.[30]

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://www.ibtimes.com/nigerias-new-first-lady-aisha-buhari-8-things-know-about-president-elects-wife-1892079
  2. ↑ http://news.yahoo.com/aisha-buhari-style-first-lady-nigeria-211404783.html
  3. 1 2 http://www.nigerianbiography.com/2015/06/biography-of-aisha-buhari-first-lady-of.html
  4. 1 2 3 http://naijarchives.com/things-you-never-knew-about-aisha-buhari/
  5. ↑ "Aisha Buhari's Book presentation like no other". PunchNews.
  6. ↑ "Aisha Buhari urges fair representation of women in appointments". Vanguard News.
  7. ↑ "Aisha Buhari Meets With APC Women, Youths - Channels Television". Channels Television.
  8. ↑ "Who is Aisha Buhari?"
  9. 1 2 "Biography/Profile/Curriculum Vitae Of MRS AISHA BUHARI"
  10. ↑ "Aisha: Brain and beauty in the villa, Vanguard"
  11. 1 2 "Aisha Buhari: Beautiful And Graceful First Lady". The Guardian. April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  12. ↑ Clement Ejiofor. "5 Facts You Need To Know About Aisha Buhari". NEWS.NAIJ.COM - Nigerian & worldwide news.
  13. 1 2 "Aisha Buhari: 10 Things to Know About Nigerian President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari's Wife". International Business Times. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Patience Jonathan's mistake, lesson for Aisha Buhari – Women". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper.
  15. ↑ Varghese, Jonlee. "Aisha Buhari: burha10 Things to Know About Nigerian President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari's Wife". International Business Times. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  16. ↑ "5 Facts You Need To Know About Aisha Buhari". The Punch. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  17. ↑ Sean. "Biography/Profile/Curriculum Vitae Of MRS AISHA BUHARI". dailymail.com.ng.
  18. ↑ Isenho, Godwin. "Aisha Buhari Closes Beauty Parlour in Kaduna". The Punch. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Nigerian Basic Technical Education". The Punch. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Aisha Buhari Closes Beauty Parlour in Kaduna". The Punch. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  21. ↑ "The Essentials of Beauty Therapy". Future Assured.
  22. ↑ Morgan Winsor (22 April 2015). "Nigeria's New First Lady, Aisha Buhari: 8 Things To Know About The President-Elect's Wife". International Business Times.
  23. ↑ Ugwuanyi, Sylvester. "Aisha Buhari says girls should attain 17 years before going into marriage". The Daily Post. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Aisha Buhari Seeks Legislation Against Early Marriage=June 13, 2015". ChannelsTV.
  25. ↑ Adoyi, Ali (June 13, 2015). "Tears as Aisha Buhari, Mrs Osinbajo meet mothers of Chibok". Daily Post.
  26. ↑ "Nigeria's President Buhari: My wife belongs in kitchen". BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  27. ↑ "Aisha Buhari hosts summit on maternal health others in New York". Leadership News. September 29, 2015.
  28. ↑ "First lady sets committee care for IDPS in Borno". Sahara Reporters. December 23, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Aisha Buhari distributes relief materials to Borno pregnant IDPs". Vanguard (Nigeria). January 2, 2016.
  30. ↑ "How I will operate as Nigeria's First Lady – Buhari's Wife=June 13, 2015". Premium Times.
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