Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, has stood up for his wife Margaret in the face of controversy surrounding a high-end purse purportedly valued at hundreds of millions of naira.
While in Washington, DC, in September, Obi participated in a live YouTube interview with Rudolf Okonkwo, which was conducted by Adeola Fayehun.
A video of Margaret carrying what social media users identified as a Hermès Kelly 35 bag in Malachite went viral, sparking the controversy. The official retail price of the bag was estimated by online users to be around £131,938, or between ₦237 million and ₦250 million at the current exchange rate.
“My wife has her own business and her own money, so what is my business if she buys expensive items with her money? The bags and shoes my wife wears, I don’t even know how much they cost.
“In fact, she is actually a bit less sophisticated now. She used to be far more sophisticated before I became governor. I’m managing public money, and as long as she lives her own life without interfering with my management of public funds, good luck to her.
“I didn’t even have an Office of the First Lady while I was governor. I don’t celebrate my own birthday, but I don’t stop people from celebrating. As long as you don’t ask me to pay the birthday bills, I will even attend if you invite me.”
Obi’s wife has every right to purchase whatever she desires, as long as she is spending her own money. She is not accountable to anyone for her choices or expenditures, because it is her wealth, her freedom, and her decision. Her financial independence affirms her autonomy, allowing her to enjoy her resources without the need for justification or explanation. Ultimately, her wealth empowers her to make her own choices, honoring her liberty and personal agency.
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Rose Ajieh
