By Patrick Wemambu
Like a bolt out of the blues, the news hit many individuals with shock and sadness as they struggled to come to terms with the unexpected announcement.
The erstwhile strongman who led Africa’s most populous country from 2015-2023 and was the first Nigerian president to oust an incumbent through the ballot box, died in London on Sunday, a presidential spokesperson said.
“President Buhari died today in London at about 4:30 p.m. (1530 GMT), following a prolonged illness,” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga announced in a post on X.
Buhari, 82, who first led the country as a military ruler after a coup in the 1980s, earned a devoted following for his brand of anti-corruption conviction politics.
He referred to himself as a “converted democrat” and swapped his military uniform for kaftans and prayer caps.
“I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,” was a constant refrain Buhari told supporters and critics alike.
Buhari defeated Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 in what was judged to be Nigeria’s fairest election to date. Many hoped the retired major general would crack down on armed groups, just as he had as the country’s military head of state.
Instead, violence that had mostly been confined to the northeast spread. That left swathes of Nigeria outside the control of its stretched security forces as gunmen in the northwest, armed separatists and gangs in the southeast roamed unchecked.
Much of his appeal lay in the anti-corruption ethos that was a central plank of his agenda both as a military and civilian ruler.
He said endemic corruption in Nigeria’s political culture was holding people back.
But Buhari quickly disappointed after his 2015 win being referred to as ‘Baba go slow’ deridedly so.
He took six months to name his cabinet. During that time, the oil-dependent economy was hobbled by low crude prices, prompting people to call him “Baba Go Slow”.
His second victory in 2019 came despite his first term being blighted by Nigeria’s first recession in a generation, militant attacks on oilfields, and repeated hospital stays.
Buhari took a tough line on everything from the conditions sought by the International Monetary Fund to unruliness in bus queues. In 1984, his administration attempted to kidnap a former minister and vocal critic living in Britain. The plot failed when London airport officials opened the crate containing the abducted politician.
His first stint in power was short-lived. He was removed after only 18 months by another military officer, Ibrahim Babangida.
Buhari spent much of the following 30 years in fringe political parties and trying to run for president until his eventual victory over Jonathan in 2015.
A national television station in a tribute to the late elder statesman, monitored by The Nigerian Pilot recalled that his early life was marked by loss and resilience.
Born in Daura on December 17, 1942, Muhammadu Buhari lost his father at age three. Raised by his elder brother, he was enrolled in school by the District Head of Daura, which set him on a disciplined path early in life.
He had an exemplary military career. Trained in top military institutions in Nigeria, the UK, the US, and India – Buhari served in the Congo on a UN peacekeeping mission and fought throughout the Nigerian Civil War without taking leave—earning respect for courage, endurance, and leadership.
Likewise, he Rose through the ranks to become a military governor and Oil Chief. By his mid-30s, Buhari was already a military governor of the old North-East, Federal Commissioner for Petroleum Resources, and Chairman of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation—today’s NNPCL.
In addition, Buhari remains the first Opposition candidate to win the Nigerian Presidency. In 2015, he made history by defeating an incumbent president—an unprecedented political feat in Nigeria. He remains the only non-PDP candidate to serve two consecutive presidential terms.
Moreover, he maintained unwavering public support. Despite three initial losses in presidential elections, Buhari consistently secured over 12 million votes in each contest, reflecting an extraordinary mass appeal and grassroots following.
Also, he successfully navigated Nigeria through COVID-19. Under his leadership, Nigeria exited a COVID-induced recession faster than many nations. As ECOWAS COVID-19 Champion, he worked with international bodies to curb the pandemic’s impact across West Africa.
Furthermore, the late Daura-born general launched Nigeria’s Most Ambitious Infrastructure Push Since the 1970s.
Buhari oversaw massive projects in roads, railways, airports, power plants, and ports using innovative financing mechanisms like Sukuk Bonds, Green Bonds, and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.
Similarly, he drove major reforms in Legislation and Social Investment.
His government revised outdated laws like the Companies and Allied Matters Act and the Police Act, and introduced Africa’s largest social investment programme—feeding over 10 million school children daily.
Again, he rebuilt military confidence and advanced internal security. Buhari modernised the armed forces with the largest investment in four decades, reformed the police force, degraded insurgent groups, and improved Nigeria’s coastal safety significantly. However, the ability of his government to contain the growing Insurgency in the land left much to be desired.
Perhaps lastly, his legacy extended to diplomacy, oil discovery, and national unity.
Internationally respected, Buhari helped position Nigerians in key global roles. Domestically, he championed oil exploration beyond the Niger Delta—culminating in the Kolmani oil discovery, a legacy that supports both economic growth and national cohesion.
One of his last public functions was attending the commissioning of Dangote Petroleum refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria May 22, 2023.
Garba Shehu, his spokesman, presented a book ‘According to the President (Lessons from a presidential spokesman’s experience)’ a few days ago. The publication captured the late leader’s style, policy priorities and approach to governance.
May Allah SWT grant him Jannatul Firdaus.
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