“Aisha Buhari Spotted In The US With A N40m Crocodile Hermes Bag” (Photos)

Nigeria’s First Lady Aisha Buhari has been spotted in the United States as she arrived the country on a visit carrying a Hermes Birkin 35cm Porosus Crocodile Gold Hardware Bag worth $105, 000 (N40, 950,000) at $1 to N390 current conversion rate.
A tweet by SIGNAL on Thursday disclosed the details to Nigerians, causing great stir and controversy on Nigeria’s social media space.
Further checks by SIGNAL on Thursday revealed that the exact pink version of Aisha Buhari’s Hermes handbag was auctioned in 2015 for $222,912 (N86, 935, 680) at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong.
Recall that in March 2015, Buhari was elected as Nigeria’s new president after a campaign premised on a strong anti-corruption narrative. Buhari played up his humble credentials by raising money from ordinary voters. He was even said to have borrowed to buy his presidential nomination form on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Buhari’s frugal, austere, man of the people image was first diluted when his wife, Aisha, was pictured wearing an expensive-looking watch at her husband’s inauguration in May 2015. The wristwatch, a Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-carat white gold diamond timepiece was estimated to have cost around $50,000 – more than £30,000 or about 17 million Nigerian naira. Report of the development sparked public outrage, making international news headlines.
As has become the usual reaction in the Nigerian social media, commentaries on Aisha Buhari’s shockingly expensive handbag have been sharply divided with many Nigerians questioning the source of the handbag in the face of stern economic recession. Many of them hinge their arguments on the notion that Nigerians were fooled into believing that the Buharis were poor and rode on that sentiment to get elected. Meanwhile, President Buhari’s social media supporters insist that Aisha Buhari is a wealthy woman and can buy anything she likes.
Reports indicate that more than 50 percent of Nigerians live below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day, according to the United Nations.
Just last week, Nigeria’s Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun officially announced that Nigeria was in economic recession. She broke the depressing news to Senators in plenary while briefing them on measures adopted to get the economy out of the woods.

Aisha Buhari’s Pricey Croc Hermes Bag Causes Social Media Storm
A black crocodile skin Hermes Birkin handbag toted by the wife of the president, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has caused a social media storm, as Nigerians on Thuesday took to different social media platforms to express their mixed feelings.
Mrs. Buhari was spotted with the 35cm Porosus Crocodile bag, which is estimated to cost anywhere between $50,000 and $300,000, at the airport in Washington D.C., when she arrived the United States Wednesday for some engagements.
A Hermes Himalayan Crocodile Birkin bag was auctioned for $432,000 recently.
The news, which was broken by an online media, The Signal, tweeting from @thesignalng, set the Twitter-sphere ablaze with the discovery.
The tweet read: “Aisha Buhari spotted in the US with a Hermes Gold Bag worth $105,000 (N40,950,000) at $1 to N390.
“Further checks by Signal on Thursday revealed that the exact pink version of Aisha Buhari’s Hermes handbag was auctioned in 2015 for $222,912 (N86,935,680) at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong.”
Given the economic recession the country is currently facing, the news of Mrs. Buhari toting the Crocodile Gold Hardware bag provided fodder for controversy.
While most on social media expressed outrage at the cost of the bag, there were others who supported her for being stylish, while they were those who claimed the bag might not be the real version.
Of course, some recalled that Mrs. Buhari has always had taste for expensive things, alluding to the expensive Cartier Baignoire Folle 18-carat white gold estimated to have cost about N15.75 million ($50,000) which she wore at her husband’s inauguration in May 2015.
According to one Nene, “Do you honestly believe that anyone that can send their kids abroad for college can afford a $70K bag? How much do you think college costs?
“My parents sent all their kids abroad but they sure as hell don’t have $70k for a bag. That’s at least two years tuition.”
Also, Teni said: “There are different types of Birkin bags. The regular leather ones are about $10K but the croc version our first lady is crying is much more expensive.”
Tweeting, one Nicholas Ibekwe said: “Aisha Buhari has not broken any law. But it is morally reprehensible and disgusting for the president’s wife to tot a Birkin in a recession.”
Baba Oni said: “If the bag Aisha Buhari is carrying is worth N20m we will have to ask questions.
“How can Mrs. Aisha Buhari afford a handbag of N20m seeing they borrowed N27m for election form.”
However, on the side of Mrs. Buhari were many others who said the issue wasn’t about the bag, but about the opposition twisting it to their favour.
A Twitter user, identified as Olayemi said: “The gist is not that Aisha Buhari can’t travel to America again, it is now about that she’s carrying a Hermes bag. You will all be okay.”
Kayode Jason, also tweeting in her favour, said: “You Wailers can lie! Aisha Buhari bought the bag when dollar was N199 per dollar.”
Also concurring, one Mary said: “Nigerians should just let her be, ordinary people carry designers, she is the president’s wife of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“She had a life and a business before she became the first lady, and more so, most of these items are gifted to them.
“So what’s the big deal with her carrying a Hermes Birkin, she wore a Cartier watch on the day of swearing in (and) even before she became the first lady and that was a big deal for Nigerians.
“Ordinary Nigerian citizens go for summer holidays abroad with their family in this tight economy, so if they can afford such luxury, then why not.”
Taking the pity route, one Clara Jacobs said: “Aisha Buhari has the original Hermes bag and I don’t even have the fake… Sighs!!”
At press time, mum was the word from the usually active camp of the first lady.