The death of former President Muhammadu Buhari has triggered a wave of divergent reactions across Nigeria, with some mourning his passing and others using the moment to demand honest reflection from the nation’s political elite.
In a strongly worded statement released on Sunday, a public affairs commentator called on Nigeria’s ruling class to see Buhari’s passing as a solemn opportunity for introspection rather than empty eulogies.
The statement argued that while Buhari may be fondly remembered by his family and loyalists, his legacy in the eyes of many Nigerians remains deeply controversial and painful.
“Buhari had eight years to provide selfless leadership and transform Nigeria for the better. He abused and missed that golden opportunity,” the statement read.
“He had the power and resources to build a world-class hospital in Nigeria that could have served both himself and the wider populace. Yet he consistently sought medical treatment abroad, including in the final days of his life.”
Buhari, who returned to power in 2015 amid hopes of a renewed and democratic style of leadership, was accused by critics of reverting to autocratic tendencies reminiscent of his military rule in the 1980s. The statement claimed he gradually transformed into a “civilian dictator” and a “serial desecrator of human rights and democratic norms.”
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While acknowledging that many within Buhari’s political circle may grieve his death sincerely, the critic emphasized the contrasting experience of countless Nigerians who, according to the statement, endured economic hardship, insecurity, and repression under his administration.
“Those who benefited from his misrule can grieve endlessly, but millions whose livelihoods were destroyed by his ungodly and tyrannical actions also have the right to speak their truth,” the statement asserted. “Politicians who make the lives of Nigerians miserable cannot be venerated as saints in death.”
The statement further condemned what it described as a culture of dishonest glorification of deceased public officials, arguing that this tradition impedes national progress. It called for honesty in assessing the legacies of leaders and reminded the living—especially those currently in power—that history and divine judgment await them.
“To his family, Buhari may have been a caring father. But to many Nigerians, he was a colossal disaster,” it continued. “It is hypocritical for public officials to destroy Nigeria while living lavishly abroad, only to be brought home in death for a final burial in the very country they helped destroy.”
Concluding on a moral note, the statement offered a stark reminder: “Our mortality is what makes us human. Buhari now faces the judgment of his maker. It is my prayer that those currently making life unbearable for Nigerians will remember that they, too, will one day face their own eternal reckoning.”