LESSONS FROM THE LIVES OF GREAT NIGERIAN WOMEN
Episode 4
AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI
FUTURE ASSURED: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM HER LIFE
Introduction
Aisha Muhammadu Buhari served as Nigeria’s First Lady from 2015 to 2023, during the presidency of her husband, Muhammadu Buhari.
Her background combines academic education with professional and vocational training. According to the biography published by Future Assured, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Ambrose Alli University and a Master’s degree in International Affairs and Strategic Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy. She also trained in Beauty Therapy and established businesses and training initiatives in the beauty industry.
However, one of the most prominent aspects of her public activities was Future Assured, an initiative of the Aisha Buhari Foundation established to advocate for the wellbeing of women, children and adolescents.
The initiative identifies three broad areas of intervention: health, education and economic empowerment.
1. Education and Practical Skills
Aisha Buhari’s background demonstrates the combination of formal education and practical skills.
In addition to her university education, she received professional training in Beauty Therapy and worked in the beauty and fashion industry before and during her public life. Future Assured’s biography says she also established Hanzy Spa and Hanzy Beauty Institute and contributed to training in Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology.
The lesson is:
Education and practical skills can provide people with opportunities for self-reliance and service to society.
2. Maternal and Child Health
Healthcare has been one of the central areas of Future Assured.
The initiative says its health interventions focus particularly on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. It also describes advocacy aimed at improving awareness, service delivery and accountability in maternal and child healthcare.
Its reported medical outreaches included health screening for women covering conditions such as hypertension, high blood sugar, breast cancer, cervical cancer and kidney problems.
The lesson is:
The development of women and children cannot be separated from access to proper healthcare.
3. Empowering Women Through Skills and Economic Opportunities
Economic empowerment was another major component of Future Assured.
The initiative reports that women were trained in different trades and that programmes were developed to encourage women farmers to participate in agriculture and access opportunities relating to improved seedlings, fertiliser, fisheries, livestock and poultry. It also reported the provision of equipment such as rice mills and fish dryers.
The lesson is:
Helping people acquire productive skills and access economic opportunities can create a pathway towards greater self-reliance.
4. Investing in Girls and Young People
Education was also a major component of the programme.
Future Assured says it supported girls with educational materials and worked towards improving community learning opportunities for women who had not completed their education.
In 2017, the initiative launched the Youth Education Empowerment Programme (YEEP) in Yola. The programme provided tutorial support for young people preparing for WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and JAMB, while also developing writing, communication and public-speaking skills.
The lesson is:
Investing in the education and skills of young people is an investment in the future of society.
5. Working Through Partnerships
Future Assured’s model also placed considerable emphasis on partnerships.
Its programme documents describe collaboration with government ministries, departments and agencies, private-sector organisations, civil society groups, NGOs and development partners. The stated aim was to combine different areas of expertise in health, education and economic empowerment.
The lesson is:
Complex social problems often require cooperation between government, communities, civil society, the private sector and development partners.
6. Supporting People Affected by Conflict
Future Assured also reported interventions for people affected by insurgency and displacement.
The State House reported in 2021 that the programme had supported internally displaced people returning to their communities with relief materials including food, clothing, bedding and building materials. It also reported educational and humanitarian projects in Maiduguri.
The lesson is:
Humanitarian assistance can help vulnerable communities recover from conflict and begin rebuilding their lives.
7. Health Awareness and Early Detection
Health screening and awareness were also significant components of the initiative.
Future Assured reported reaching women through screening exercises and providing health education on conditions including breast and cervical cancer, hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease.
The Federal Ministry of Information also reported that the programme carried out health and nutrition interventions, including screening and awareness activities.
The lesson is:
Health education and early detection can help communities recognise health problems before they become more serious.
8. The Importance of Measuring Impact
This is perhaps one of the most important lessons for anyone involved in community development.
Future Assured has reported a wide range of interventions in health, education, humanitarian assistance and women’s empowerment. However, reporting that an activity took place is not the same as independently measuring its long-term impact.
Important questions remain relevant when assessing any development programme:
Who benefited?
What changed in their lives?
Was the change sustained?
What resources were invested?
What happened after the intervention?
And what independent evidence demonstrates the results?
These questions are important because the sustainability of projects associated with First Ladies has been debated in Nigeria. A Guardian report noted concerns about projects losing momentum or being abandoned when their initiators leave office, while other stakeholders argued that successful initiatives should be adopted and sustained through stronger institutional arrangements.
WHAT HISTORY TEACHES US
The story of Aisha Muhammadu Buhari and Future Assured provides an opportunity to examine how a First Lady used a public platform to focus attention on issues affecting women, children and young people.
The documented areas of focus include health, education, women’s empowerment, humanitarian support and advocacy.
But journalism requires an important distinction:
What an organisation reports that it has done is not necessarily the same as independently verified long-term impact.
Therefore, the broader lesson goes beyond the number of projects launched. It includes the importance of planning, transparency, partnerships, monitoring, evidence and sustainability.
WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE LIFE OF AISHA MUHAMMADU BUHARI
We can learn to value education and practical skills.
We can prioritise the health of women and children.
We can support women in acquiring productive skills.
We can invest in girls and young people.
We can support vulnerable communities during periods of crisis.
We can work with different institutions to address complex social problems.
We can promote health awareness and early detection.
And we can measure the results of our interventions rather than judging success only by the number of projects announced or launched.
CONCLUSION
Aisha Muhammadu Buhari occupies an important place in the recent history of Nigeria’s First Ladies, particularly through Future Assured, an initiative built around health, education and economic empowerment for women, children and young people.
Her story also provides a wider lesson about public-service initiatives: good intentions and programmes are important, but lasting impact requires evidence, accountability, effective partnerships and sustainability.
THE MAJOR LESSON
“When we are given an opportunity and a position of influence, we should use them to support people who need help — while ensuring that the work produces measurable and sustainable results.”
LESSONS FROM THE LIVES OF GREAT NIGERIAN WOMEN
Episode 4 — Aisha Muhammadu Buhari
By Alfijir Labarai
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