2 Nigerian Heads Of State That Divorced Their Wives

They have two things in common. They have ruled the country twice, once as military rulers, and then as democratically elected presidents. Divorced Their Wives However, that is not where the similarities end. They are both divorcees. They have, for reasons best known to them, disengaged from their relationship with their spouses. Now, let us delve in and let’s know more about these two personalities.  

Olu Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo was Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1976 to 1979. During that period, he was married to Esther Oluremi Obasanjo, his first wife. They got married in London in 1963. During his rein as Head of State, she represented him at some international occasions and functions.

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They had six children together. They include Senator Iyabo (b. 1967); Busola (b. 1968); Olusegun (b. 1969); Olugbenga (b. 1971); Enitan (b. 1975); Damilola (b. 982). Remi and Olusegun Obasanjo later divorced in the 80s. Remi Obasanjo in her tell-all autobiography, Bitter-Sweet: My Life with Obasanjo, she  paints a portrait of her husband as a vindictive “master of decoy”, a “violent and unrepentant wife-basher”, and a man whose “womanising knows no bounds”.      

Mohammadu Buhari

Hajiya Safinatu Buhari was the first wife of General Mohammadu Buhari when he was Head of State  from 1983 to 1985. She was born 11th December 1952. Legend has it that Safinatu first met the young Muhammadu when she was only 14 years old. This was when the then Major Mohammadu accompanied his friend, the late General Shehu Musa to Safinatu’s father’s house. A romance between the two ensued afterwards. Two days after her graduation, they got married. Safinatu was 18 years old at the time, while Buhari was 28. In 1988, after 12 years of marriage, Hajiya and her husband got divorced. In December 1989, President Muhammadu married his second and current wife, Aisha. The reason for the divorce is unknown, however, speculation was that it was because of Safinatu’s dealings with Babangida which was against warnings from her husband who was under house arrest at the time. During their marriage, Mohammadu and Safinatu had five children together: four girls and one boy. Their first daughter, Zulaihat (Zulai) was named after Buhari’s mother. Their other children are Fatima, Musa (deceased son), Hadiza, and Safinatu. Safinatu Buhari died on 14th January 2006. Heads Of State That Divorced Their Wives  

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