Renowned columnist and academic Farooq Kperogi has issued a public apology to former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, over his recent social media post discussing her marital status with the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement released today, Kperogi described his July 16 Facebook post titled “Aisha Buhari, Divorce, and Forgiveness Claim” as “one of the worst and cruelest lapses of judgement” in his career.
“Although I absolutely should have foreseen it, I honestly didn’t anticipate the profoundly painful consequences my post would have on Mrs. Buhari and those closest to her,” Kperogi stated. “It has been a source of unfathomable personal anguish.”
The columnist acknowledged that while his source maintained the information’s accuracy, “not every well-sourced information is for public consumption.” He particularly referenced communications with Alhaji Sani Zorro, former SSA to the First Lady, who challenged the claims.
“Mrs. Buhari herself has the ultimate authority to define the status of her marriage with her late husband,” Kperogi wrote, quoting late MKO Abiola’s adage that “no one can give you a haircut in your absence.”
The apology emphasized that the “truth of this information is now far less significant than the hurt my disclosure has caused,” calling his action a violation of his own moral and ethical principles.
Kperogi assured the public he acted without malice, though acknowledged many might doubt this. To Mrs. Buhari, he offered a “heartfelt and unreserved apology for the needless and deeply regrettable hurt.”
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