Why Aisha Kept Mum On Buhari’s ‘Other Room’ Comment – Biographer

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Women Affairs, (Office of the First Lady), Hajo Sani, has revealed why the first lady, Aisha Buhari, did not react publicly to the other room comment made by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016.

Sani noted that the President’s wife refused to release a statement on the comment of his husband because she understood his mindset and sense of humour.

She disclosed this in the biography of the wife of the President titled, ‘Aisha Buhari: Being different,’ which was launched last week Thursday.

Buhari had made the comment at a joint press conference with German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, during a state visit to Germany in October 2016 while reacting to an interview granted by his wife with BBC where she claimed her husband did not know most of the top government officials he appointed, accusing some politicians of hijacking the government

She (Aisha) had also threatened not to campaign for the President’s re-election in 2019 if he continued that way.

Buhari in his reaction said, “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to, but she belongs to my kitchen and my living room and the other room.”

The statement of the President was criticized by some quarters who believed the position of the statement was against women.

Sani added that the controversy did not discourage the President’s wife from further intervening on national issues.

She wrote, “Many will not forget the ‘other room’ metaphor which occurred during President Buhari’s visit to Germany, where he responded to a question at a joint press briefing with the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.”

“In a lighter mood, he laughed off a question about his reaction to a BBC interview with his wife by 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.”

“His remarks immediately went viral on social media, with some people calling for and expecting a rebuttal from Aisha. Meanwhile, she never contested the statement or queried her husband. This is vintage Aisha Buhari.”

“Married for decades, she understands her husband’s mindset and sense of humour, a side of him that the public may not see or appreciate.”