United States-based Nigerian academic and newspaper columnist, Farooq Kperogi, has issued a formal apology to former First Lady Aisha Buhari following a controversial Facebook post in which he claimed that she divorced her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, before his death. This claim, made in a post dated July 16 and titled “Aisha Buhari, Divorce, and Forgiveness Claim,” sparked widespread reactions and public scrutiny.
In a detailed statement posted on his official Facebook page on July 20, Kperogi described the post as “one of the worst and cruelest lapses of judgment” he has ever committed. He acknowledged the emotional distress that his comments had caused Aisha Buhari and those close to her, emphasizing that the post had “profoundly painful consequences.”
While Kperogi maintained that his source for the information was “unimpeachable” and claimed the accuracy of the divorce assertion, he admitted that the details were not intended for public consumption. He wrote, “My source, whose integrity is unimpeachable, insists the information is accurate, but never intended for it to become public.” Kperogi recognized that sharing such sensitive information publicly was a significant error on his part, noting, “Not every well-sourced information is for public consumption.”
The backlash from the post was significant, with many questioning the validity of Kperogi’s claims. He further revealed that Alhaji Sani Zorro, a former senior special assistant to Aisha Buhari, personally reached out to challenge the accuracy of the claim. Zorro conveyed Aisha’s position that her marriage to the late president had remained intact until his passing.
Kperogi stated, “I will not contest the particulars and veracity of the information with Alhaji Sani, who conveyed the former First Lady’s position that her marriage was intact.” He emphasized that Aisha retains the ultimate authority over the narrative of her marital life, asserting that “her truth should be respected as supreme, whatever other facts may exist.”
In his apology, Kperogi reiterated that he acted without malice and took full responsibility for the emotional distress his post may have caused. “I shouldn’t have shared it publicly. Period,” he wrote. “Doing so violated every moral and ethical principle I cherish and uphold. But it shows I am only human, an imperfect human.”
He acknowledged that some may find it hard to believe that he acted without ulterior motives, stating, “I realize it might be impossible for many to believe… that I acted without malice, ulterior motives, or external influence. But I sincerely did not intend to harm Mrs. Buhari or execute any personal vendetta.”
Concluding his statement, Kperogi offered an unreserved apology, stating, “To Mrs. Aisha Buhari, I offer my heartfelt and unreserved apology for the needless and deeply regrettable hurt I have caused. I am truly sorry.”
