General News of Saturday, 18 March 2017

Source: theheraldghana.com

Samira taking First Lady’s shine - Report

Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo, First Lady with Samira Bawumia, 2nd Lady of Ghana Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo, First Lady with Samira Bawumia, 2nd Lady of Ghana

Wife of the Vice-President, Samira Bawumia, is gradually taking the center stage and shine from the First Lady, Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo, some political watchers have observed.

The sexy, young and pretty Samira, who seems to have comfortably warmed her way into the position of Second Lady already, programme after every programme, becomes the talk of the day with beautiful designer outfits.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo, alias “Auntie Becky” who clocked 66 last Sunday, equally pretty, on the other hand, is unable to beat the strong competition from Samira, who once contested a beauty pageant.

Samira, who is in her 30s and has 4 children, rose to the occasion in January, when she graced the inauguration of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia her husband, as President and Vice-President, respectively.

The second family, who arrived at the Black Star Square ahead of the First Family, got everyone talking and stealing a glance, especially Mrs. Bawumia’s fashion sense -wearing an African print gown well sown to fit her curvy figure.

She nonetheless subsequently took over social media and trended for many days, while President Akufo-Addo, battled with the negative fallout from the plagiarism issue.

The daughter of former Chairman of the Peoples National Convention’s (PNC), Ahmed Ramadan, who has her older siblings belonging to different political parties, had her dress artistically designed with beads combined with a yellow scarf matching her headgear, got the people who were at the ceremonial grounds, as well as those home watching on the television, stunned.

Her makeup and the way she walked gorgeously, made her stand out the entire occasion. She had a modern Muslim touch to her dressing, which eschewed fanaticism; she had abandoned her veil meant for Muslim women, especially married ones.

As Social media was awash with her pictures and pleasant comments from the political divide, same could not be said about Auntie Becky, whose seamstress was accused of not making her rise to the unique occasion of her beloved husband’s swearing-in as the fifth president of Ghana under the Fourth Republic.

Mrs. Akufo-Addo’s Kente outfit, high-heeled shoe made her looked tomboyish and military woman, despite the assortment of jewelry to appear girlish.

Later that evening – Saturday January 7, at a state dinner hosted by President Akufu-Addo for heads of states and other dignitaries inside the Flagstaff House, Mrs. Bawumia, did not fail in her dressing, while Auntie Becky appeared to be lost in the crowd.

Again, during the burial of the late Asantehemaa, Samira, did not disappoint when she joined her husband to Oseikrom. Pictures of her which surfaced on social media, again stunned many at the funeral grounds.

Some pictures seen by The Herald, portrayed a lady, who is captivating everybody with her beauty and good sense of fashion as she shook hands with dignitaries, while dressed in a her black funeral attire.

The latest was last Monday’s 60th Independence Day celebration at the Black Star Square.

Samira who walked side by side with her husband, smartly dressed in a light ash outfit laced with Ghana’s cherished cloth Kente, instantly, became a role model to some young women and the men too.

Most of the men said, she was the woman they want to see in their wives, because she does not expose her body, but always covered, yet attracts and gets all the attention.

Unfortunately, some Muslims are not happy, because she does not occasionally wear her veil as prescribed by her religion.

They accused her of shunning her veil as a married Muslim woman. The attack on her has largely been on social media.

They argued that during the campaign, she wore the veil wherever she went, but after becoming the Second Lady, she has refused to be recognized as a married Muslim woman.

In the heat of the 2016 campaign, Samira is on record to have played a key role to ensure a New Patriotic Party (NPP) victory.

At the least opportunity, Samira bashed the Mahama-led government and was hailed by the party.

She became so comfortable in the “men only” game that at every rally and programme held, she was made one of the main speakers.

It is, therefore not surprising that she is making her presence felt, even though she does not get the chance to speak often.

She was made host of Joy FM’s morning programme, Super Morning show on Wednesday to mark International Women’s Day.

According to many who listened, they praised the youngest second lady and jokingly recommended that she take up a radio programme job.

She hosted the Electoral Commission chairperson, Charlotte Osei, Madam Joyce Ayee and former Finance Minister, Mona Quartey.

Samira, started her early education at the Answarudeen Islamic School at Fadama in Accra, before continuing to the Akosombo International School (AIS) and then to Mfantsiman Secondary School at Saltpond in the Central Region.

At the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), she read BA Social Science in Law and Sociology and Technology.

At the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Relations (GIMPA), where she completed with Mrs Lordina Mahama, wife of former president John Mahama, she was adjudged, the Best Student in Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Samira, who is a Fulani, is reported to speak Ewe, Twi, Ga, Mamprusi, Fanti and English. She has a human touch and easily blends with her peers, as well as her environment.