By Erewunmi Peace

Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has provided fresh insight into how the prolonged illness of her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, began during his time in office.

Aisha Buhari made the revelation in a recently launched biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole. The book sheds light on personal and political moments from the former president’s life, including his health challenges.

According to Aisha Buhari, her husband’s health began to deteriorate after his relocation to Aso Rock, where his long-standing feeding and nutrition routine was disrupted. She explained that Buhari was naturally slender and required strict consistency in his diet and supplements to maintain good health.

She further disclosed that rumours and internal gossip within the Presidential Villa created mistrust and anxiety, causing the former president to alter his habits, including skipping meals and isolating himself at times. These changes, she said, negatively affected his physical condition.

The former First Lady dismissed claims of poisoning or mysterious illness, stressing that the situation was largely linked to poor nutrition management and emotional strain, which eventually led to Buhari’s prolonged medical treatment abroad in 2017.

Buhari spent 154 days in the United Kingdom that year receiving medical care, a period that sparked national debate and concern about his health and leadership.

Aisha Buhari’s account offers a rare personal perspective on the health struggles faced by the former president and highlights the impact of internal pressures and misinformation on leadership and wellbeing.