Five of Africa’s most controversial first ladies past and present

Nii Ntreh November 15, 2019
Fatima Bio, first lady of Sierra Leone. Photo Credit: The Calabash Newspaper

The position of a first lady is one of the most consequential and trickiest places a woman can get into. She is unelected yet socially, politically and morally, she is accountable to the people who put her husband in power.

One of the burdens that come with the role is the expectation that a woman should humanise her politically esteemed man: her beauty, supposed sense of decorum and even harmless of views reflect on him.

First ladies on the African continent, just like any other place, suffer sexism. And whatever the kind of persons they are, since they are seen in the light of their husbands, it is hard to properly judge them.

In a way, all of these make a list of controversial first ladies difficult to put together. But we did our best and you are invited to suggest anyone you think should have been on the list. Check them out below:

Last Edited by:Kent Mensah Updated: November 15, 2019

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