All Nigeria First Ladies/Heads of State Wives

The first lady of Nigeria is an informal, but accepted title, held by the wife of the president of Nigeria. Currently, Oluremi Tinubu holds this title from 29 May 2023. The Constitution of Nigeria doesn’t establish an official position for the first lady or potential first gentleman, but funding and staff have been provided for Nigeria’s first lady since independence.

The title addressed to the first lady is Her Excellency. The wives of the country’s presidents or heads of state, often called First Ladies, have a significant role in the nation’s social and political scene. These women historically hold influence, using their positions to support causes and contribute to Nigerian society’s well-being.

All Nigeria First Ladies/Heads of State Wives

Flora Azikiwe

Flora Ogbenyeanu Ogoegbunam Azikiwe was born on 7 August 1917 in Onitsha, Anambra State. She married Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s first President, on 4 April 1936 after they met in 1934. Their wedding took place at Wesley Church, James Town, Accra, Gold Coast (now Ghana), where Nnamdi Azikiwe was editing the African Morning Post.

Flora Azikiwe was an active member of the Eastern Working Committee of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). She also served as the initial Patron of the Home Science Association (HSA), which was previously known as the Federal Home Science Association.

She held the role of the first First Lady of Nigeria from 1 October 1963 to 16 January 1966. Flora Azikiwe and Nnamdi Azikiwe had one daughter and three sons during their marriage.

Tragically, she passed away on 22 August 1983 at the age of 66.

Victoria Aguiyi-Ironsi

Victoria Nwanyiocha Aguyi-Ironsi was born on November 21, 1923. She served as Nigeria’s second First Lady from January 16, 1966, to July 29, 1966. She was the wife of General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigeria’s initial military head of state. Unfortunately, he was killed in Ibadan during a counter-coup led by Murtala Muhammed, which led to the rise of General Yakubu Gowon.

She came from Ohokobo Afara in Umuahia North Local Government Area. She married Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi during her time as a student at Holy Rosary Convent School, Okigwe, in 1953. They had 8 children, and during the Nigerian Civil War, nuns in Ibadan cared for them under the direction of Adekunle Fajuyi. She also held a position as a commissioner of the Local Government Services Commission in Umuahia. The role of the First Lady of Nigeria gained significance during Ironsi’s tenure, and Aguiyi-Ironsi elevated its status. She frequently wore traditional clothing and was known for her “pretty and effortlessly regal” style. Aguiyi-Ironsi passed away on August 23, 2021, at 97 years old, after suffering a stroke and contracting COVID-19 during the pandemic in Nigeria.

Victoria Gowon

Victoria Hansatu Zakari was born on August 22, 1946, in Zaria, Nigeria. She works as a nurse and holds the distinction of being Nigeria’s third First Lady. She is married to General Yakubu Gowon, who served as Nigeria’s Head of State from 1966 to 1975.

Victoria Hansatu Zakari’s parents are Malam Walter Bala, a civil servant, and Lydia Fati Zakari. She received her primary and secondary education in Zaria and Kaduna, completing her secondary education in 1964. She pursued nursing education at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, becoming a registered nurse in July 1968.

Her marriage to Yakubu Gowon took place on April 19, 1969, during the Nigerian Civil War. The ceremony occurred at the Cathedral Church of Christ in Lagos. During this time, Victoria Hansatu Zakari made public appearances as her husband, Yakubu Gowon, balanced his executive and ceremonial responsibilities. She was known for her simple style, often wearing traditional attire as the First Lady.

Ajoke Muhammed

Hafsatu Ajoke Muhammed, a Nigerian conservationist, holds the position of the fourth First Lady of Nigeria. She became a widow when Murtala Ramat Muhammed, who led Nigeria from 29 July 1975 to 13 February 1976 as Head of State, passed away. Her birth took place on 23 May 1941 in British Nigeria. Ajoke wedded Murtala Muhammed in 1963.

Originally trained as a dental therapist, she shifted her focus to plants. In 1991, she established the Murtala Muhammed Memorial Botanical Garden, a 30-hectare expanse located along the Lekki–Epe Expressway in Lagos. Additionally, she is the owner of a 20-hectare garden called Sarius Palmetum and Botanic Garden, situated in Abuja.

With a family of five children, she introduced the Murtala Muhammed Foundation in honor of her husband, collaborating with his family on this initiative.

Esther Oluremi Obasanjo

Esther Oluremi Obasanjo, also known as Mama Iyabo, used to be a Nigerian First Lady. She married President Olusegun Obasanjo after they met in the Owu Baptist Church Choir when she was 14. Their courtship lasted for 8 years, and they got married on June 22, 1963, at Camberwell Green Registry in SE London. Their families didn’t know about the marriage. She received institutional management training in London.

She became the First Lady in February 1976 due to a coup following Murtala Muhammed’s death. Unlike Victoria Gowon, who often appeared in public engagements, Esther wasn’t frequently seen in such events because Murtala Muhammed believed it wasn’t suitable for military leaders’ spouses to be in the public eye.

Hadiza Shagari

Hadiza Dawaiya Shagari, also known as Hadiza Shehu Shagari, was a notable figure in Nigeria. She served as the First Lady of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983 and was the widow of Shehu Shagari. Alongside Shehu Shagari’s other two wives, Hadiza Shagari held the role of First Lady during her husband’s presidency from 1 October 1979 to 31 December 1983.

Hadiza Dawaiya met Shehu Shagari while he worked as a visiting teacher and member of the Federal Scholarship Board in Sokoto province, now Sokoto State. They got married in 1957.

Hadiza Shagari passed away due to COVID-19 complications at the Gwagwalada Isolation Center in Abuja around 3 a.m. on 12 August 2021. She was 80 years old. Her funeral took place at the Abuja National Mosque on the same day at 4 p.m. Her husband, former President Shehu Shagari, passed away in 2018.

Safinatu Buhari

Safinatu Buhari, also known as Safinatu Yusuf before marriage, was born on December 11, 1952, in Jos, Plateau State. She belonged to the Fulani in Northern Nigeria and was from Mani Local Government in Katsina State. Her parents were Alhaji Yusufu Mani and Hajia Hadizatu Mani. Safinatu attended Tudun Wada primary school.

Her family later moved to Lagos when Musa Yar’Adua, then commissioner for Lagos affairs, appointed her father as his private secretary. She enrolled in the Women Teacher’s Training College in Katsina, earning a Grade 2 Teachers Certificate in 1971. Safinatu had a strong grounding in Islamic education and was proficient in both English and Arabic.

She became the First Lady of Nigeria from 1983 to 1985 when her husband, Muhammadu Buhari, was the head of state. She was a dedicated teacher throughout her life.

Maryam Babangida

Maryam Babangida came into the world on November 1, 1948, in Asaba, Delta State. She wed General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who led Nigeria from 1985 to 1993. Critics targeted her husband for widespread corruption during his rule. Maryam established and embodied the role of Nigeria’s First Lady.

During her time as First Lady, she initiated several programs to enhance women’s lives. The “Maryam Phenomenon” transformed her into a celebrated figure known for beauty, fashion, and style, a status she maintained even after her husband’s downfall.

For her early education, she attended schools in different locations. Her parents hailed from Niger State and Asaba, and she completed her secondary education at Queen Amina’s College in Kaduna. Afterward, she graduated as a secretary from the Federal Training Centre in Kaduna. She furthered her education with a secretaryship diploma from La Salle Extension University in Chicago, Illinois, and a Computer Science Certificate from the NCR Institute in Lagos.

On September 6, 1969, just before her 21st birthday, she married Major Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. Their union produced four children: two boys named Mohammed and Aminu, and two girls named Aisha and Halima. Once her husband assumed the role of Chief of Army Staff in 1983, Maryam Babangida took on the presidency of the Nigerian Army Officers Wives Association (NAOWA). In this capacity, she actively launched schools, clinics, women’s training centers, and child daycare centers.

Margaret Shonekan

Margaret O. Shonekan was born on October 28, 1941, in Gusau, British Nigeria, Zamfara state. A Nigerian civil servant, she dedicated much of her career to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). She held the position of Federal Civil Service Commissioner from October 1, 1986, to March 31, 1994. Additionally, she briefly assumed the role of the First Lady of Nigeria from August 26, 1993, to November 17, 1993, during her husband Ernest Shonekan’s transitional presidency.

In 1993, Margaret’s husband, Ernest Shonekan, took on the position of interim, transitional President of Nigeria. She served as Nigeria’s First Lady for a mere 82 days, spanning from August 26, 1993, to November 17, 1993. The Shonekan presidency ended abruptly when General Sani Abacha orchestrated a coup, toppling Shonekan from power on November 17, 1993.

Maryam Abacha

Maryam was born on 4 March 1949. She stated that her husband worked for Nigeria’s benefit in 1999. An official from the Nigerian government shared that she mentioned this to convince the government to grant her relief. This occurred because the president, Olusegun Obasanjo, had been imprisoned by Sani Abacha. Up until 2000, Maryam Abacha resided in Nigeria and persistently maintained her husband’s innocence, despite numerous human rights violations linked to him. Her home is in Kano state, Nigeria. She and Sani Abacha had three daughters and seven sons. Her eldest surviving son is Mohammed Abacha. Additionally, Maryam Abacha established the National Hospital Abuja

Fati Lami Abubakar

Fatima Lami Abubakar CON, a Nigerian jurist, held the position of Nigeria’s First Lady when Abdulsalami Abubakar was President from June 1998 to May 1999. Following her time as First Lady, Abubakar served as the Chief Judge of Niger State from 2013 to 2016. Born on 12 April 1951 in Minna, Nigeria, Fatima Lami completed her high-school education at Queen Elizabeth School in Ilorin Kwara. She pursued higher education at colleges in Ilorin, Sokoto’s Federal Government College, and the University of Ife. Her post-secondary studies led to multiple law degrees, including a bachelor’s and a Doctor of Philosophy. Abubakar also attended the Nigeria Law School. She holds the distinction of being Nigeria’s first First Lady to graduate from university.

In June 1998, Abubakar assumed the role of Nigeria’s First Lady upon her husband Abdulsalami Abubakar’s presidency. Her tenure as First Lady concluded in May 1999. During her time in this position, she established the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative in 1999, an organization dedicated to women’s human rights. For her exceptional contributions to humanity, advocacy for child rights, and addressing prison congestion, Abubakar was honored with the Sir Ahmadu Bello Honours Award by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna.

Stella Obasanjo

Stella Obasanjo was born on November 14, 1945. She served as Nigeria’s First Lady from 1999 until her passing. Stella was the spouse of former president Olusegun Obasanjo but did not hold the title of First Lady in 1976 when Obasanjo was military head of state. She passed away during elective liposuction overseas.

Stella was an active political advocate, supporting causes like women’s liberation, youth leadership, and Nigeria’s post-war recovery. Born in Iruekpen, Esan West, Edo State, she married General Obasanjo and bore a son named Olumuyiwa Obasanjo in 1977. This occurred as Olusegun Obasanjo took on the role of Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, succeeding General Murtala Mohammed after his assassination.

Turai Yar’Adua

Turai Umar Musa Yar’Adua was born on 26 July 1957 in northern Nigeria’s Katsina metropolitan area. She became the widow of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the former Nigerian president and Katsina State Governor. From 2007 until her husband’s passing on 5 May 2010, she served as Nigeria’s First Lady.

In her early years, she attended Garama Primary School and later moved to Government Girls Secondary School in Kankiya, both in Katsina state.

Turai Yar’Adua furthered her education at Katsina College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna state. She stood out as the “best student” in 1980. By 1983, she earned a bachelor’s degree in language from Ahmadu Bello University. In 1975, she married Umaru Yar’Adua, and they have five daughters and two sons. Their sons are named Shehu Umaru Musa Yar’adua and Musa Umar Musa Yar’adua. Shehu is named after Umaru Yar’adua’s elder brother, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who was formerly Nigeria’s de facto vice president. One of their daughters, Zainab, is married to Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, a former governor of Kebbi state.

Patience Jonathan

Dame Patience Faka Jonathan, born on 25 October 1957, is a Nigerian civil servant. She held the role of First Lady of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 and Second Lady from 2007 to 2010. She is married to former Nigerian President and Vice President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Previously, she worked as a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State.

Patience Faka Iwari was born in Port Harcourt. She completed her school certificate in 1976 and passed the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) in 1980. In 1989, she achieved the National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Mathematics and Biology from Rivers State College of Arts and Science in Port Harcourt. She furthered her studies at the University of Port Harcourt, earning a BEd in Biology and Psychology. The University of Port Harcourt also bestowed upon her an honorary doctorate.

Aisha Buhari

Aisha Halilu Buhari was born in Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria, on 17 February 1971. She’s a Nigerian beauty therapist and was the first lady of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, as she’s the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Aisha Buhari attended primary and secondary school in Adamawa State. On 2 December 1989, she married Muhammadu Buhari, who had five children from a previous marriage to Safinatu Yusuf. They have five children together and one grandchild.

Aisha Buhari earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration from Ambrose Alli University (AAU). She also holds a master’s degree in international affairs and strategic studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. Additionally, she obtained a beauty therapy diploma from the Carlton Institute of Beauty Therapy in Windsor, United Kingdom. She also completed a post-graduate diploma in cosmetology and beauty from the Academy Esthetique Beauty Institute of France. Aisha Buhari is a member of the United Kingdom Vocational Training and Charitable Trust as well as the International Health and Beauty Council.

Oluremi Tinubu

Oluremi Tinubu was born on 21 September 1960. She is a Nigerian politician and currently serves as Nigeria’s first lady since 2023, being the wife of President Bola Tinubu. She held the position of first lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 while her husband was governor. Representing Lagos Central Senatorial District at the Nigerian National Assembly from 2011 to 2023, she was a senator. She belongs to the All Progressives Congress (APC) political party.

She is the youngest of 13 siblings in her family and originates from the Ikusebiala family of Ogun State. Tinubu began her education at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School Ijebu-Ode, completing her West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Exam (WASSCE) in 1979. Additionally, she obtained a PGD from The Redeemed Christian Bible College in 2010. She attained a B.S. in Education from the University of Ife and holds a National Certificate of Education in Botany and Zoology from the Adeyemi College of Education.

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