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Outlook takes a rare peek behind the doors of several presidential state houses in Africa by meeting five first ladies.

Veronique Edwards from the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s African Service has been granted exclusive access to the presidential palaces and state houses of Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, Namibia, and Sierra Leone.

Intrigued by the image of African leaders having 'trophy wives', Veronique wanted to get behind the public mask of the first ladies by meeting them in person.

Sierra Leone - Sia Koroma

Sia Koroma is the wife of Ernest Koroma, President of Sierra Leone.

Mrs Koroma was one of the huge number of Sierra Leoneans who fled the country during the brutal, decade-long civil war in which thousands of people were killed, maimed or displaced.

Mrs Koroma spent nine years in Britain where she retrained and worked as a nurse in the National Health Service before returning to Sierra Leone where she helped her husband - then in opposition - to campaign for office.

He was elected President in 2007 and Sia Koroma became the first lady.

Mrs Koroma explained whose responsibility it is to make the tea in the state house, what she calls her husband when she wants to get her own way, and why her passport is so important to her.

Ghana - Ernestina Naadu Mills

Ernestina Naadu Mills is the wife of Professor John Atta Mills, President of Ghana

Although her husband has been in politics for over 15 years, and he's run for the presidency three times, not much is known in Ghana about Mrs Mills.

The former teacher is a private person, but has deep passions - as Veronique found when she paid a visit to State House in Accra.

Zambia - Thandiwe Banda

Thandiwe Banda is married to Rupiah Banda, President of Zambia.

At 38 years old, she's the country's youngest ever first lady, and there's a big age gap between her and her 73 year old husband.

Veronique Edwards met Mrs Banda in the garden of the Presidential residence in Lusaka

Namibia - Penehupifo Pohamba

Penehupifo Pohamba is the wife of President Pohamba of Namibia.

Namibia gained independence in 1990 after a long battle for freedom that saw many black Namibians leave their home country to live in exile.

Many young women left their families and villages to join their men in fighting for independence from beyond Namibia's borders.

Some also trained as nurses, doctors and teachers in order to support the South West Africa People's Organisation, SWAPO.

One such woman is Penehupifo Pohamba. She lost her first husband in the war, but later married the future President Pohamba, and is today the first lady of Namibia.

When Veronique Edwards visited Mrs Pohamba at State House in Namibia, she began by recalling her work as a midwife with Namibians in exile.