Prominent columnist and media scholar, Farooq Kperogi, has issued a heartfelt public apology to Nigeria’s former First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, over a controversial Facebook post in which he discussed unverified claims about the status of her marriage.
In a statement titled “Apology to Aisha Buhari”, Kperogi admitted that his July 16 post, “Aisha Buhari, Divorce, and Forgiveness Claim,” was a grave error in judgment and has caused the former First Lady unnecessary emotional pain.
“It’s one of the worst and cruelest lapses of judgment I have ever committed in my life,” he wrote, acknowledging that the fallout has left him in “unfathomable personal anguish.”
Although Kperogi maintained that his source was credible and never intended for the information to be made public, he accepted full responsibility for choosing to publish the claim.
“Not every well-sourced information is for public consumption,” he noted. “Doing so violated every moral and ethical principle I cherish and uphold.”
The respected academic also revealed that Alhaji Sani Zorro, a former Senior Special Assistant to Mrs. Buhari, contacted him directly to challenge the accuracy of the information and convey the former First Lady’s position that her marriage to the late President Muhammadu Buhari was intact.
“I will not contest the particulars… Mrs. Buhari herself has the ultimate authority and right to define the status of her marriage… Her truth should be respected as supreme,” he affirmed.
Kperogi emphasized that he had no malicious intent and was not influenced by any external agenda. “I sincerely did not intend to harm Mrs. Buhari or execute any personal vendetta,” he wrote.
Closing the statement, he expressed deep remorse: “To Mrs. Aisha Buhari, I offer my heartfelt and unreserved apology for the needless and deeply regrettable hurt I have caused. I am truly sorry.”
The public apology has sparked mixed reactions online, with many praising Kperogi’s humility, while others questioned the initial motive behind the disclosure.
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