Life is fleeting. No matter how mighty a man becomes, -with wealth, influence, or power, -he is not immune to death. The grave does not recognize office. What matters in the end is not your title, convoy, or currency accounts, but your impact on people, your leadership, and the memory you leave behind.
News of the reported death of Nigeria’s former President, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), in London has reignited old controversies and deep national conversations, -not just about the man himself, but about the legacy he left behind.
For many Nigerians, the reaction wasn’t sorrow or silence. It was confusion, suspicion, -and for some, even subdued celebration. Social media exploded with old footage, speculations, and conspiracy theories. Some villages reportedly played drums, not in honor, but in relief.
The Death That Many Claimed Happened Years Ago:
This isn’t the first time Buhari has been declared dead. During his presidency, IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu repeatedly claimed that President Buhari had died in a London hospital in 2017, during one of his prolonged medical trips. He alleged that a body double -referred to as “Jubril from Sudan” -was parading as Nigeria’s president. At the time, many dismissed the theory as fringe propaganda, but the unusual secrecy around Buhari’s health, and the president’s increasingly frail appearance, fed public suspicion.
Consider these strange coincidences:
Medical Trips: Buhari spent over 200 days abroad for medical reasons between 2016 and 2017 alone, a record in Nigerian presidential history. His frequent absences sparked calls for transparency, but the presidency remained tight-lipped.
Family Distance: While he ruled from Abuja, his wife Aisha Buhari spent long periods in Dubai. His children were rarely seen with him in public. Critics asked: why was the First Family absent from the public scene?
Aircraft in London: A presidential jet was reported to have been parked for months at Stansted Airport in the UK, -with little to no official justification. Why? At what cost? And for whom?
To some, this was all evidence of a grand cover-up. Others believed it simply underscored the arrogance of a detached presidency.
A Presidency Remembered More for Pain Than Progress:
Buhari’s return to power in 2015 was historic. As a former military ruler (1983–1985), he was elected as a “born-again democrat” under the All Progressives Congress (APC), promising to fight corruption, restore security, and revive the economy. He inherited a nation battered by Boko Haram, oil theft, and corruption, -but by 2023, many argue he left it worse.
Here are just a few data points:
Security Crisis: Under Buhari, Nigeria witnessed an explosion in violent conflict, from Boko Haram and ISWAP in the North-East, to bandits in the North-West, and herdsmen-farmer conflicts across the Middle Belt. By 2021, over 13,000 Nigerians had been killed in violent incidents that year alone (Global Rights report).
#EndSARS Brutality: In 2020, Nigerian youth rose in protest against police brutality, especially from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The movement culminated in the Lekki Toll Gate shootings, -a moment many see as a symbol of state violence and denial under Buhari.
Economic Collapse: Nigeria faced two recessions under Buhari, with unemployment reaching 33% by 2021 and inflation biting deep into household incomes. Despite borrowing trillions, basic infrastructure remained largely stagnant.
Selective Justice: While Buhari promised to fight corruption, his critics said he only fought his enemies. Prominent figures like Babachir Lawal, Abba Kyari, and Ibrahim Magu faced scandals, -yet saw limited punishment.
Is it any wonder that for many, his death evoked no national mourning?
What Legacy Will He Be Remembered For?
This is the question that haunts every leader. Will people remember your humility or your hubris? Your compassion or your cruelty? Your promises or your betrayals?
For Buhari, the answer depends on who you ask. Some may remember his war against indiscipline and efforts to clean up Nigerian politics. Others remember the silence in the face of tragedy.. Benue killings, Chibok girls, Southern Kaduna, and the opaque governance that left people feeling voiceless and abandoned.
But what is clear is this:
A leader who rules with detachment will be buried with detachment.
A president who governs without empathy dies without national tears.
A Caution to Leaders: Power is Temporary, Legacy is Forever:
Let Buhari’s reported passing serve as a somber reminder to all who hold authority, -presidents, governors, traditional rulers, ministers, community leaders, -Do good while you are alive. Lead with conscience. Serve with justice. Act with humanity.
Because death is inevitable. And when your time comes, your people will either mourn you in sorrow or rejoice in your absence. And there is no PR campaign in the afterlife to repair a ruined legacy.
Legacy is not built in the pages of newspapers. It is built in the hearts of the people.
And history never forgets.
King Eze
www.tori4town.online
