Nigeria At 55: See The Most Stylish First Ladies Nigeria Ever Had (Photos)

The Office of the First Lady in Nigeria might not be constitutional but the women who have been beside past rulers in this country would forever hold their place in our memories and Nigerian history.
From the very first First Lady Flora Azikiwe to the present Aisha Buhari, Nigeria has had beautiful, strong women supporting their husbands through their regime.
And some of those women took extra care to ensure they were never going to be forgotten.
With their impeccable style and brains that most young women in this generation envy, here are the women with the biggest styles we admire:
Maryam Babangida
Maryam Babangida is definitely one of the greatest women/First Ladies Nigeria produced. Credited with changing the face of the Office of the First Lady, Maryam was not just famous for her style and poise, she was also known for the immense work she contributed during her husband’s eight-year reign.

Mrs Babangida and Princess Di here are as on trend as anyone could have been in the early 90s. And despite the late Princess’ iconic style, Maryam Babangida still managed to own the photo. Credit: Getty Images

And despite the notoriety of her husband’s tenure, by the time it was over, Mrs Babangida had empowered millions of women in Nigeria.

Court shoes, Iro and Blouse and making Ankara trendy are some of the fashion trends credited to this woman.
Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the woman who single-handedly changed the way the office of the First Lady was looked at.


Victoria Gowon
She became the First Lady years after her husband Yakubu Gowon became head of state. And this was because he only married years after he assumed the position and during the civil war (which history won’t forgive him for but hey, we’re here to discuss fashion trends this time).
Anyway, Oga Gowon brought Victoria into our consciousness and if old photos are to go by, she was one stylish woman.

Mrs Gowon here stuns in the Oleku style which was a trend back in the 70s when she was first lady

And that wedding dress which would be a great vintage choice for Vintage loving brides in this era…

Stella Obasanjo
The former First Lady might have been dead for almost a decade (died late 2005) but we would forever remember her style and work.


Known for her petite looks and afro, the beautiful First Lady did not only look effortlessly gorgeous in anything she wore, she also made her style quite influential.
Give it up for Mrs Obasanjo, the Queen of recent First Ladies.

Even OBJ had to acknowledge with a hand in this photo

Patience Jonathan
A lot of Nigerians might have grown impatient with Patience’s bad grammar and her husband’s regime but there is no taking away the style this woman had while in Office.

Not dancing Shoki: The First Lady definitely had her own style and pose

Not one to have a bad makeup day or one to wear an unflattering traditional attire, Mrs Jonathan definitely had her style and owned it while she was First Lady.

Aisha Buhari
Aisha Buhari might be trying to ensure she does not “over glorify” the office of the First Lady but she cannot stop us from swooning.
The current First Lady is stylish, beautiful and elegant.

And in the short time she has been around, she has proved she has beauty + brains.
So tell me, why are we not going to keep swooning?

On The Watch: Mrs Buhari set a lot of people talking when this photo of her rocking an expensive watch surfaced

This list won’t be complete until we talk about the one stylish woman that would have influenced the face of 90s fashion if she and her husband were given the chance.
And that woman is Kudirat Abiola.
Kudirat Abiola
Perhaps if given the chance, this beautiful activist would have not just influenced a generation of women to be greater but would have been a fashion icon.

Kudirat, the wife of Late MKO Abiola who famously fought for him while in prison is the biggest most fashionable First Lady Nigeria never had.