By Philip Agbese
An
African adage says, “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.” Whether in
Africa, Europe or Asian continents, leaders are burdened. And support of his
family has to come with full measure for him to succeed.
Leaders
of nations battle to contain disparate interests; strive to leave a legacy and
unquestionably accept responsibility for acts of commission or omission from
subordinates. A leader of any nation spends more time cogitating and less for
leisure. He deprives himself and his family the comfort of his presence most of
the times. It’s worse when a leader operates in a clime where there is stiff
opposition.
In
faraway Germany, Nigeria’s President Muhammedu Buhari decried the burden posed
by a multi-coloured opposition in Nigeria in these words; “It’s not easy to
satisfy the whole Nigerian opposition parties or to participate in the
government.”
A leader
in the words of the ancient Greek Philosopher,Aristotle must be a philosopher
King,who must claim superior knowledge over the rest of the ruled, opposition
inclusive. He must not only imbibe the virtues of truth,honesty and hard work,
but ardently exhibit it at all times in private and public arenas. President
Buhari is an embodiment of these virtues,which is the source of his courageous
and fearless war on corruption in Nigeria.
The
family of a Leader, whether designated as President, Prime Minister or
Chancellor or as in the case of Germany is rightly,the first family of the
nation. They must exude the quintessence of uprightness and puritanism.
When they
pander to debauchery,the nation screams and shrieks; hurl invective at them. Like any other couple, leaders of nations
also double as leaders of their families. And the shame of ridicule of a failed
first family imposes a heavy and additional burden on the husband and wife to
keep an eagle eye on the family.
The
temptation of children of leaders of nations to pander to waywardness is
extremely high because of the feeling of a paradise on earth. It is fired by
the blaze of affluence.
Therefore,President Buhari’s epochal statement
that “I don’t know which party my wife belongs to; but she belongs to my
kitchen, my living room and the other room,” is humorous; but also pregnant
with meaning.
The
President was reacting to comments credited to his wife, Hajiya Aisha Buhari in
a BBC interview,which had political undertones. Invariably,President Buhari as
leader of Nigeria and also head of Nigeria’s first family sought to limit the
duties of his wife, to domestic affairs only, which in itself is a herculean
burden.
Nevertheless,the
statement is the embodiment of the hard truth about the onerous task on the
shoulders of the wife of the President in ensuring the proper upbringing of the
first family and proper care of the home-front.
It is a
sacred duty she owes to the nation. The Holy books prescribed it. It is the
unwritten norm in traditions of almost all communities in the world. Families
which slide into immorality, resent hard work and embrace odiousness are not
only shunned, but loathed.
In
Nigeria,with its complexities and a fastidious people,the imperative of an
ideal first family is a ministry of its own headed by the wife of the
President. And she needs not be burdened any further with the exigencies of
politicking.
It is
confirmable that women married to high profile politicians are the epitomes of
endurance and patience. They spend days or sometimes weeks, without the comfort
of their spouse,who keeps moving from one meeting in one location to another.
And since
Buhari’s foray into partisan politics, Aisha was automatically elevated from
the position of housewife to the lofty status of the Minister of Kitchen and
Domestic Affairs. She has lived with the task all her marital life,by ensuring
the children, especially the tender ones are properly brought up,in the periods
of her husband’s absence for political adventures. Her ministry of Kitchen and
Domestic Affairs ensured the children were properly fed, attended school
timely, cultivated good social relationships and never deviated from the path
of morality.
Now,after
exhaustive political meetings,only Aisha knows the delicacy that would revive
and energize her husband. It is perhaps,the secret of President Buhari’s
strength and agility at his octogenarian age. It is the signpost of excellence
from Aisha’s Kitchen and Domestic Affairs ministry.
She cooks
endlessly for the teeming supporters or visitors to the house and now Aso
Villa,where President Buhari is resident. She plans the President’s menu and
outlines what goes for breakfast,lunch and dinner as well as refreshments’.
Aisha is
the closest confidant of the President and he confides in her, issues that
would ordinarily not be thrown to public purview. Even though President Buhari
is endowed with superior knowledge over the wisdom of his wife, but
undoubtedly,the shared thoughts give him inspiration to courageously and
fearlessly confront the devouring external forces against him.
A
troubled house unsettles the head of the family.It inflicts a psychological
burden on the leader of the house, which affects him in multiple dimensions.
But by ensuring peace in the house,Aisha raises a platform that gives Buhari
the confidence to face Nigeria to deliver on his mandate of leadership to the
country.
But by
far, the most alluring and enduring accomplishments of Aisha’s ministry is her
supportive role in ensuring discipline
is inculcated in the children of the first family. They exemplify the virtues
of truthfulness, discipline, hard work and honesty. In 1983 when Buhari was
military Head of State and since his return as civilian President in 2015, none
of his children has been caught in
public cynosure of haughtiness and waywardness, traits common with children of leaders of President Buhari’s status.
It will therefore, not be out of place to
nominate Hajiya Aisha Buhari as the best performing Minister of Kitchen and
Domestic Affairs in Nigeria for the year 2016, as Nigerians look forward to
2017 with more brightened performance of
the first family . So, dragging her into politicking would be a distraction
designed to diminish this enviable record.
Agbese writes from the United Kingdom
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