My Other Room

Aisha and Muhammadu Buhari, The People of the Other Room

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari recently commented in public on an interview his wife had granted the BBC Hausa Service. He is quoted to have said his wife 'belongs in his kitchen, his living room, and the other room. This generated controversy, as should be expected in a diverse country such as ours. From responses like 'oh yeah, she totally belongs in those places' to 'he's limiting what a woman can achieve to the home' and 'he's taking us back to the stone age'.

I have laughed so much at the memes generated from this 'spat'. Many assumed understandably that the Other Room is the matrimonial bedroom and let their imagination run wild.

Today I asked myself, 'Buki, what is your Other Room?'
Where is that place you belong apart from where society and nature roles dictate?
I answered myself, 'As long as I do not let go of my thinking room to anyone, it doesn't matter what the other room is'. Then I quickly followed that up with 'That makes my thinking room my other room!'

My Other Room

I love to think, I thrive in peace and quiet followed by bursts of activity but of course, I look forward to having my quiet again. That is my absolute. The few times in life when I have allowed people and events invade my quiet, I have paid dearly for it through non-productivity and ill-health. I know better now, I guard my Other Room jealously.

In unrelated news, I met one of the producers of Goge Africa, Mr. Isaac Moses at EMCOAN training for production managers. I was so happy to see him.