Nigerians have taken to the Social Media to express their displeasure over a viral video in which some governors’ wives – led by Dr. Bisi Fayemi, spouse of the Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Dr. Kayode Fayemi – were seen in a well-appointed Dubai, United Arabs Emirates’ (UAE), apartment presenting a birthday cake to the Nigerian First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari.
The anger expressed over the video – reportedly shot on 17 February, 2022, the First Lady’s birthday, were largely in connection with the current state of the nation and the claim that the First Lady and the governors’ wives are disconnected from the every-day struggle of the average Nigerian who has been battling poverty, insecurity, fuel scarcity, etc.
Not a few Nigerians connected the video – and the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari is currently out of the country for an official engagement abroad from where he is expected to jet to London, United Kingdom for medical test and rest, as well as allegations that Hajiya Buhari and the rest members of the First Family have relocated to Dubai to live out the rest of the Buhari Presidency in the opulence of the Gulf emirate – to Marie Antoinette, the French queen who reportedly quipped ‘Let them have cake’ when poor Parisians begged for bread amid a scarcity of the staple, which triggered the bloody French Revolution and Antoinette’s decapitation at the guillotine.
The video also drew parallel with Emperor Nero whom history recorded as playing the fiddle while Rome burned, as Nigerians compared the foreign travels and offshore stay of President Buhari, the first lady and her children and the visiting governors’ wives to the lack of empathy displayed by Nero to the burning Rome and Romans.
Some twitter users who commented on the video appeared particularly miffed that Dr. Bisi Fayemi, a PhD holder and an intellectual in her own right, would lead the lesser-educated governors’ wives to champion what Nigerians perceived as wasteful venture at a time millions of citizens are struggling to make ends meet in an economy allegedly run badly by President Buhari since he won the 2015 Presidential Elections.
Some of the posted comments, which ranged from the serious to the witty and downright rude and unprintable by any self-respecting newspaper, read:
THE IMMORTAL KYRAEL @immortalkyrael :
“Daddy Buhari is cooling in London, Aisha Buhari is chilling with the big girls (First ladies) in Dubai, no fuel in Nigeria. Buhari is the best president in the world. How I wish he can continue beyond 2023…”
“Buhari is in London, taking care of his health. Aisha Buhari is in Dubai receiving Birthday Cake and Flowers from Wives of State Governors led by Wife of Ekiti Diaspora Governor, Kayode Fayemi. Nigerians are here; NO PETROL, NO LIGHT!”
“These people are mocking Nigerians”
“One day, very soon…the poor will eat the rich.”
Dream Warrior #Noto2023CharadeElectionsbyBuhari
“I tell thee wetin Musa no go see for gate? Almost anything includg ds theatre of d absurd”
“Sigh. Really unfortunate”
“It’s an act of economic sabotage for those women to spend tax payers money to go Dubai on frivolous tin. That’s why Nigeria has no direction.”
“Firstly the seat of first lady and governors wife should be scrapped, what exactly is their work? Na joblessness cause am”
“Unbelievable! Government in exile…really?”
“Who paid for the trip to Dubai ??? Jesu”
Mobolaji Thanni (BJ THE BADDO!)
“Na our money oh”
“Woo.. If I say make i dey talk, cry go commot my eye”
“Not one of them even come across as slightly elite.”
“We’ve been cursed No solution to this madness.”
It is a pity that these country is funding their expensive lifestyle. This is never the nigeria of my dream.
“God almighty go help me out of una hand ooo”
RainOver of Lasgidi @RainSegzy :
“Why won’t it coincide with an official trip? If I may ask, what is the official trip? Governors’ wives and Aisha Buhari Dubai shopping spree! I never expect them to have a good defensive line. I mean, show me your husband and I will tell you who you are. Naija is a big mess”
“In war, the Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska refuses to flee/leave her husband.Rather, rallies for support with her platform. In contrast,Nig’s First Lady Aisha Buhari fled to Dubai in a relatively peaceful time, leaving Nigerians to their fate & Bubu’s “Za oda room” unattended”
“Buhari is in London for medical Tourism. Governor’s wives are in Dubai to deliver a birthday cake to Aisha Buhari. #NoFuel, the scarcity is biting. A liter is now N300 & ASUU is still on strike. Things weren’t this terrible b4 Tinubu & others staged the now infamous Ojota Protest”
“Nigeria’s governors’ wives led by Bisi Fayemi travelled to Dubai to present Aisha Buhari with a birthday cake. No fuel in Nigeria for the common man but Aisha and her husband can enjoy life outside of Nigeria while citizens suffer!”
“Nigerian Governors Wives fly to Dubai to present Aisha Buhari with birthday cake while ASUU is on strike. You’ll expect that the optics should affect them especially as this is a campaign year but they know Nigerians well. I’ve seen stupidity in governance but this takes the ice.”
“Patience Jonathan stayed in Nigeria and cried with us. Aisha Buhari is being visited and celebrated in Dubai for fleeing from her people. Different strokes for different people. Standards in governance changed. This world.”
“President Muhammad Buhari is in the UK, his Wife , Aisha Buhari is in Dubai to celebrate birthday, while Nigerians have to queue for long hours in filling stations in order to buy fuel despite Nigeria being an oil producing nation. We wanted GEJ out for less.”
“You can’t find Oyo State first lady in this kind of gathering. These ladies here are flexing on State resources. Hilarious that the woman they are celebrating is Aisha Buhari, the first lady of Nigeria living outside Nigeria.”
O. O. Nwani (LP) @BarrTailorson :
“Our supposed 1stlady, Aisha Buhari indulges her fancy celebrating birthday in Dubai wia our prodigals, d Govs wives went on party spree, 4ther destroying our depleted reserve No fuel, no light, the human abbatoir here continues unabated but Aisha had never been moved as a mother”
However, some Nigerians expressed contrary opinions. A news blog, Instablog9ja wrote:
“The beautiful moment Nigerian Governors’ wives surprised the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, on her birthday in Dubai”
‘Dubai Trip Not For Frivolities’ – Bisi Fayemi
But the governors’ wives have reacted to the development to explain their side.
In a statement signed by Dr. Bisi Fayemi, Chair of the Forum, Nigeria Governors’ Wives, the governors’ wives stated: “Our attention has been drawn to a social media post shared on the 1st of March 2022 suggesting that some Nigerian Governors’ Wives were in Dubai to surprise the First Lady of Nigeria Dr. Aisha Buhari on the occasion of her birthday on the 17th of February 2022.
“For the avoidance of doubt and in the interest of the public, the Nigerian Governors Wives were on the entourage of the First Lady of Nigeria who was on an official trip to the UAE.
“The trip included visits to Dubai Expo 2020, and tours of the Dubai e-learning center, Dubai Youth Hub and meetings with foundations and agencies in UAE who are interested in investing in education, health and technology in Africa, with priority given to women and young people.
“The trip coincided with the birthday of HE Aisha Buhari. On the morning of her birthday, which was February 17th, the delegation of Governors’ Wives paid a private visit to present a cake and flowers. After the brief presentation, we proceeded to attend the scheduled meetings for the day.
“We were therefore dismayed to see footage of the visit interpreted to mean Governors’ Wives left Nigeria for the sole purpose of celebrating HE’s birthday.
“This is not true and we find this assumption scandalous. We are all dedicated to supporting our spouses as well as our First Lady, and we would never be a party to anything that will bring embarrassment to them and ourselves.
“Our key learnings from our visit to the various agencies in Dubai and the briefings we received points to the need for Nigeria to scale up investments in education, science and technology and provide more opportunities for young people, who are the key to the future. We will continue to address these issues in our own work as well as advocate for increased commitments in these areas from our leaders.”
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