Coalition of former presidents’ wives, a group aimed at addressing the welfare and challenges faced by former African First Ladies, spearheaded by Madam Anndree Touré, widow of Guinea’s former President Ahmed Sékou Touré, will be unveiled in Conakry, Guinea in January.
Madam Fatmata Nippe Sow-Momoh, widow of Sierra Leone’s former President Joseph Saidu Momoh, said the initiative stemmed from the harsh realities faced by many former First Ladies after their time in office.
Sow-Momoh disclosed further that since the death of President Toure in 1984, her 91-year-old widow has lived a life of struggle, receiving no pension from the state.
“The former Guinean First Lady has been forced to rely on meagre support from family members and even suffered humiliation as she was evicted from her late husband’s property, leaving her and her children in a precarious situation,” she said.
However, Madam Toure’s plight took a positive turn when Guinea’s current leader, Mamadi Doumbouya, restored her access to her late husband’s villa, a move she attributed to divine intervention.
Sow-Momoh also highlighted the plight of another former First Lady, Chantal de Souza Yayi, widow of former Beninese President Emile Derlin Zinsou. According to her, despite Souza Yayi’s distinguished role as a former member of parliament and spouse of President Zinsou, she was later divorced and has since faced significant neglect.
“The former First lady has been surviving through subsistence farming, a life far removed from the corridors of power she once occupied.”
These personal ordeals, combined with the experiences of other former wives, motivated Madam Toure to rally for the creation of a coalition to address the systemic neglect faced by women, who once occupied the position of First Lady.
“The stories surrounding former First Ladies in Africa are disheartening and frustrating. This coalition aims to ensure that these women are not forgotten, and their contributions are recognised even after their husbands leave office,” she noted.
Sow-Momoh has been actively engaging with other former First Ladies across Africa to garner support. Over the weekend, she met with two prominent figures in Abuja, including the widow of Nigeria’s former military leader, General Sani Abacha.