A tale of the kitchen, the living room and "the other room"

Just when many Nigerians were beaming with profound joy in celebration of the long-overdue rescue of some (just 21, a number representing less than 10%) of the secondary school girls kidnapped in Chibok about two years ago, we were yet again hit with another seemingly stupendous gaffe from the Commander-In-Chief of the most populous black nation in the World. President Muhammadu Buhari reacted to statements made by his beloved wife, Aisha, who publicly declared that she would not support her husband for re-election come 2019 if the status-quo does not change for better. According to various news reports flying helter-skelter, Mr President, who is on a state visit to Germany, informed journalists during a Press Conference that his wife's office is now officially located in the kitchen, the living room and an ambiguous "other roon". Here's what he 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". Quite funny is the fact he said this in company of the German Chancellor, who is a woman just like his wife. I don't think feminists would be taking this lightly; and going by #TheOtherRoom hashtag that is trending like wildfire on Twitter, it is probable that PMB would be under serious heat for his remarks.


MY TAKE
Frankly speaking, Mr President's remarks are nothing but an international debacle. However you see it, such a reply, on an international platform, is unbefitting of a matured man, a good husband, and the numero uno of over 180 million Nigerians.

But, looking at it from a disparate viewpoint, Aisha Buhari's utterance seems laden with "vested interest". Her statement seems "too political" and typical of a person who cares 'only' about elections. Of all the the plausible repercussions one can fathom, it gives me cause for concern that the only one that appealed to our "National Momsie", and which she was not hesitant to mention on national TV despite its delicateness and sensitivity, is the one that has to do with a Re-election in 2019.

Still on Aisha Buhari, I believe that there are more appropriate and mature ways via which a 'good' wife can express her displeasure at her husband's behavior rather than going on national television to nail her husband's flaws to a cross. In point of fact, I don't believe that should even surface as an option.

Nonetheless, experience has taught me that one of the most delicate tussles that can occur amongst human beings is that between a husband and his wife. My humble opinion; i'll suggest we leave the couple to resolve their differences.


Ife Akano writes from Lagos, Nigeria.