A professor of journalism at Kennesaw State University, USA, and prominent public affairs analyst, Farooq Kperogi, has claimed that Nigeria’s former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, was no longer married to the late President Muhammadu Buhari before his death.
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Kperogi made the revelation in a Facebook post on Wednesday while reacting to reports that Aisha Buhari had said her late husband asked her to seek forgiveness from Nigerians on his behalf.
“I can’t confirm the authenticity of that claim,” Kperogi stated, “but what I do know is that before Buhari’s death, he and Aisha were no longer married. They had divorced, and Aisha reverted to her maiden name, Aisha Halilu.”
Citing circumstantial evidence, Kperogi pointed out that Aisha did not accompany Buhari to Daura when he retired there after leaving office in May 2023 and was also absent when he later relocated to Kaduna.
“In fact, when he fell ill and it was suggested that Aisha travel to London to care for him, she reportedly hesitated because she was no longer his wife,” he said. “She eventually went in the last few days before he died, but only after intense persuasion.”
Kperogi noted that Aisha’s role during the mourning period has appeared “understandably conflicted,” given the alleged separation, and questioned the authenticity of the apology attributed to her.
“So, I’m genuinely curious to know when and where Buhari told her to beg Nigerians for forgiveness. Where did she even say this?” he queried.
His comments come a day after the late president was buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State. Aisha Buhari was in attendance, visibly grief-stricken, and received condolences from several dignitaries, including First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
Aisha and Muhammadu Buhari were married on December 2, 1989, and had five children together. However, their relationship has long been subject to public scrutiny, with media reports over the years suggesting deep tensions within the presidential household.
In September 2019, SaharaReporters, citing Daily Trust, reported that Aisha Buhari had been absent from Nigeria for nearly two months, allegedly in protest over “certain developments” within the presidency. She was said to have departed for Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj but later moved to London and did not return with other pilgrims.
Kperogi’s claims have stirred fresh debate about the private lives of Nigeria’s former leaders, especially in the wake of the former president’s passing. As of the time of this report, Aisha Buhari has not publicly addressed the assertions.
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