Category: Featured

Nigerians are mourning the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a towering figure in the nation’s political landscape, who died in London yesterday. He was 82.

Known for his stern demeanour, spartan lifestyle, and unwavering anti-corruption stance, Buhari’s journey from a military ruler in the 1980s to a democratically elected president decades later is a rare arc of redemption in Nigerian politics.

His death marks the end of an era—one defined by discipline, controversy, and the enduring debate over legacy.

From the barracks to the ballot box, Buhari remained a symbol of authority—admired by some, criticised by others, but never ignored.

Tributes are pouring in from across the globe, reflecting a life that stirred strong emotions and left an indelible mark on the nation’s soul.

Weeks ago, he left the country in a private jet provided by a world-acclaimed billionaire for a routine check-up.

His situation appeared to be improving as he went sightseeing at some point.

The former President’s situation, however, took a turn for the worse, as he was moved to an intensive care unit (ICU).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu got wind of the situation and dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The Vice President saw Buhari before he was discharged and taken to a care home to recuperate.

A hint about the seriousness of Buhari’s illness came from his spokesman, Garba Shehu, at his book presentation on Wednesday.

He had urged Nigerians to pray for his principal.

It was the lot of the same Shehu yesterday to confirm Buhari’s death.

In a terse statement, he confirmed the dreaded news: “INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHIR RAJI’UN. The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.”

Announcing Buhari’s passing, President Tinubu stated in a statement he personally signed: “It is with profound sorrow and a heavy heart that I received the news of the passing of His Excellency, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), GCFR, my predecessor, who departed this life today, Sunday, July 13, 2025, at a hospital in the United Kingdom.

“President Buhari was to the very core, a patriot, a soldier, a statesman. His legacy of service and sacrifice endures.

“He served Nigeria with unwavering dedication, first as a military leader from January 1984 to August 1985, and later as a democratically elected President from 2015 to 2023.

Read Also: Tinubu mourns Awujale, says monarch’s passing met him with ‘double pain’

“Duty, honour, and a deep commitment to the unity and progress of our nation defined his life.

“He stood firm through the most turbulent times, leading with quiet strength, profound integrity, and an unshakable belief in Nigeria’s potential.

“He championed discipline in public service, confronted corruption head-on, and placed the country above personal interest at every turn.

“In this moment of national mourning, I extend my deepest condolences to his beloved wife, Aisha, with whom I have been in constant touch, his children, the entire Buhari family, and all who knew and loved him.

“I also extend my condolences to the government and people of Katsina State, most especially the people and traditional leaders of Daura Emirate.

“We honour his service. We reflect on his legacy. And we pray for the peaceful repose of his soul.

“As a mark of respect to our former leader, I have directed that all national flags fly at half-staff across the country for seven days from today.

“I have also summoned an emergency Federal Executive Council session on Tuesday, dedicated to his honour.

“The Federal Government will accord President Buhari full state honours befitting his towering contributions to our country.

“May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.

“And may his life continue to inspire generations of Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness.”

The body of the former President is likely to be buried in his Daura, Katsina State hometown today.

A full military honour is also to be given to him as a former two-time Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, first as military head of state and as a civilian president.

His death sent shock waves across the country.

It set social media abuzz. Major television networks and radio stations interrupted their regular programming to focus on documentaries on the former leader.

Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, in separate statements, conveyed their condolences to the Federal Government, the bereaved family and Nigerians during this period of national mourning and grief.

Youssouf said: “President Buhari will be remembered as a principled and resolute leader who served Nigeria with honour and conviction. Throughout his tenure, he remained a committed pan-Africanist—an advocate for regional integration, good governance, and African-led solutions to the continent’s pressing challenges. He was a steadfast supporter of multilateral cooperation and a tireless champion of peace and stability across Africa.”

Read Also: Buhari served Nigeria with integrity, deep love for his people — First Lady

The AU Commission Chairperson pays tribute to the life and enduring legacy of the distinguished statesman and salutes his contribution to the advancement of Africa’s development, unity, and voice on the global stage.

Touray, in a statement, said: “ECOWAS salutes the memory of this distinguished statesman, whose invaluable contributions greatly advanced democracy and regional integration in West Africa and across the African continent.”

The United States Mission in Nigeria has extended condolences to Nigerians over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a leader committed to restoring integrity to public office.

In a statement on its X handle, the Mission said Buhari’s life was defined by service, discipline, and dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

Read Also: Tinubu mourns Awujale, says monarch’s passing met him with ‘double pain’

“The U.S. Mission in Nigeria extends our deepest condolences to the people of Nigeria on the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a leader whose life was defined by service, discipline, and a commitment to restore integrity to public office. His legacy includes his efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions. Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, and all Nigerians who mourn this loss,” the Mission wrote.

China mourns

The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria condoled with the government and the people of Nigeria over the death of the former president.

The Chinese Embassy in a statement on its social media handle, X described the late President as a resolute leader.

The  statement reads: “ We extends our deepest condolences to the people of Nigeria on the passing of His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari,  Former President of Nigeria.

“We mourn a resolute leader whose unwavering dedication to Nigeria’s unity and progress leaves an enduring legacy.

“His pivotal contributions to advancing China-Nigeria relations will forever remain etched in our shared history. Our thoughts are with his family and Nigerian people.”

Throughout his adult life, he was a national property. Twice in history, fate had entrusted on the Daura-born leader the unenviable duty of salvaging a nation in distress; first as a young and energetic General in 1984, and later, as a septuagenarian statesman driven by patriotic anger in 2015.

Military and civilian leader:

 Nigerians cannot forget Muhammadu Buhari, gallant officer, political leader and statesman, who like his former boss, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, had the honour of being elected president after serving as military Head of State..

The nation was united in grief yesterday as he passed on at 82, leaving a legacy of service, frugality, transparency, credibility and integrity. It was the end of an era.

What had distinguished the departed leader from other administrators before him was his apathy to corruption. He demonstrated the virtue through his simple lifestyle, his disdain for avarice, graft and ‘kleptocracy,’ and sense of contentment.

His life was a lesson in courage and resilience. He was toppled in a bloodless coup of August 1985, but returned 30 years later as elected president, unlike former military President Ibrahim Babangida who sacked him but could not bounce back into reckoning since the advent of the Fourth Republic.

Buhari maintained the discipline of a professional soldier throughout. Although he could be humorous, he was firm, focussed and not giving to frivolities.

Like the promising youths of his generation – Babangida, Gen. Mamman Vatsa, Gen. Gado Nasko, Gen.Mohammed Magoro and Gen.Ibrahim Haruna – Buhari enlisted in the army on the advice of prominent Northern elders and men of foresight. Alarmed at the impact of the coups in Egypt and Sudan, these elders feared the threat to northern dominance or relevance in the scheme of things under civilian and military regimes. They believed that with their youths in the militaty, they would continue to have representatives in government.

Four years after he joined the military, civilian authorities were displaced by soldiers in a bloody coup. In 1967, Buhari found himself on the battlefield defending Nigeria against Biafra and fighting for national unity. In 1975, he was appointed military governor of Northeastern State by the military Head of State, Gen. Murtala Mohammed.

In 1976, he became a member of the Supreme Military Council (SMC), Federal Commissioner for  Petroleum and Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Shortly before the hand over of power to President Shehu Shagari by Obasanjo in 1979, he also served as Military Secretary.

As the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Third Armoured Division, the lot fell on him to dispatch troops to flush out the invading foreigners from neighbouring Chad on a mission to wreck havoc. There were casualties. When President Shagari questioned the manner of deployment, he explained that it was motivated by the patriotic desire of the Army to protect sovereignty.

No-nonsense ruler:

 Less than a year after, the Army sacked the President and Buhari became the military Head of State. Notable civilian leaders, including Shagari and Vice President Alex Ekwueme, governors, their deputies, ministers, commissioners and party officers, were detained. Many of them did not return home. They were jailed by the military tribunals over corruption.

The Buhari/Idiagbon regime declared war on corruption through the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) programme launched in phases. The goal was to restore order, probity and decorum to national life by force. The Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, was the driver of the initiative. He also promised to deal severely with armed robbers.

It was not a benevolent administration. The decrees reeled out by Buhari, the lord of manor, had retrospective effects. Thus, Lawal Ojuolape, Bartholomew Owoh, and Bernard Ogedegbe, who were caught carrying drugs before Decree 2 was promulgated, were executed. Also, under Decree 4, two journalists – Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor – were jailed by Buhari who tampered with press freedom.

Traditional rulers were not spared. The late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, were restricted to their palaces for six months for travelling to Israel.

When Buhari was asked when he intended to hand over to civilians, he was non-committal. He said “may be, 10 years.”

Buhari stopped the metro line, the novel transportation initiative of former Governor Lateef Jakande of Lagos. The military became reckless and stormed the residence of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo to harass him. They seized his passport and carted away his books without taking permission from Buhari.

When he was toppled by Babangida in 1985, Buhari was accused of highhandedness and penchant for taking unilateral decisions without consulting  his colleagues.

However, despite his long stay in detention, nothing incriminating was found against him and his deputy.

Buhari later resurfaced in public life when he was appointed as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) by the former military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha. PTF under Buhari succeeded in fighting the infrastructure battle in various locations in the country.

Foray into politics:

Buhari rode to power on military populism. The conditions that paved the way for his ascension in 1983 were similar to the prevailing circumstances of 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, which made him to throw his hat in the ring.

He had warned that the country was on the brink. In his view, the ship of state was sinking; the economy had been mismanaged, the currency had almost become a worthless paper, a culture of theft and graft in high places was thriving, insecurity remained insurmountable, roads were death traps, and hospitals were mere consulting clinics.

Read Also: Buhari served Nigeria with integrity, deep love for his people — First Lady

Not willing to fire salvos from the sidelines, he joined the fray. His first point of call was the All Peoples Party (APP), which later became All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). However, in 2003 and 2007 when he sought to serve as president on the platform of the then leading opposition party, his ambition crumbled. He had a fanatical followership in the North, but he was not able to penetrate the South, despite picking his running mates – Dr. Chuba Okadigbo and Edwin Ume-Ezeoke- from the Southeast. A section of the South perceived him as a religious fanatic.

Buhari was defeated by Obasanjo in 2003, Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007 and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. After the 2007 poll, he shed tears for the country.

In 2011, he contested for the highest office on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). His running mate was Pastor Tunde Bakare from the Southwest. The bid was also futile.

However, Buhari’s CPC later teamed up with the progressive bloc in the Southwest led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande, and other legacy parties -ANPP, led by Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, a section of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and new-Peoples Democratic Party (n-PDP), led by Senator Bukola Saraki, to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013. Ahead of the 2015 election, he picked Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor, as running mate after reneging on the promise to pick Asiwaju Tinubu due to the need for ethno-religious balancing.

Buhari also developed interest in other Southwest politicians, including Senator Ibikunle Amosun, former governor of Ogun State, his Lagos and Ekiti counterparts, Babatunde Fashola and Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who served under him as ministers, and Ife Oyedele, an engineer.

The 2015 poll was the turning point. For the first time, an opposition party defeated an incumbent president in Nigeria.

From khaki to agbada:

Buhari managed to overcome his inevitable adjustment difficulties. The image of the new democrat in Aso Villa, Abuja, contrasted sharply with the stern-looking soldier of the early eighties in Dodan Barracks, Lagos who brooked no opposition.

In 1984, there was no parliament to moderate his actions. He was both the legislature and the executive; a dictator who ruled by decrees, many of which were draconian. The judiciary existed. But he also had tribunals created in his own image.

As president, the eight years were a different ball game. The President was constitutionally checked by the National Assembly and an independent judiciary. Unlike before, the media and civil society groups were active in playing the role of watchdogs in democracy without inhibition. Buhari never oppressed the media again. Presidential actions were also moderated by the utter sensitivity to the legitimate pressure and demands from the ruling and opposition parties.

Buhari warmed himself to Nigerians through the ‘change mantra.’ In his inauguration speech, he said he was for everybody, but for nobody. Party leaders were confused.

In the beginning, the president was curiously slow. For example, as party leader, he was not decisive when certain moments demanded tact and wit. Under his watch, party men rebelled and teamed up with the opposition in Parliament to elect a Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives whose elections as chairman and deputy chairman of the National Assembly were not dictated by the party’s preference. During the elections, he was aloof. He paid for it for four years. There was no cordial relationship between the Presidency and the National Assembly.

 Although Buhari took bold steps in some sectors to restore public confidence in the government, critics pointed out that he moved at a snail-speed. He was criticised for the delay in setting up a cabinet of talents. For six months, he relied on the permanent secretaries to run the country. He also did not put in place an economic team on time, making experts to conclude that the administration aptly lacked economic direction.

Many political appointees had fixed tenures that outlast the Jonathan government. Buhari said he could not sack them because of his avowed commitment to due process. Many of the appointees did not effectively support the president’s programme of change.

There were also allegations that the government was hijacked by a cabal. But he was not so keen about the office of the first lady who belonged to the ‘other room.’

Acknowledging that his administration has been objectively slow, Buhari quickly rationalised that he was slow, but steady.

Many reasons were responsible for his inability to hit the ground running, following the change of baton. Buhari, according to the Presidency, needed to clean up the Aegean table. Besides, he inherited an economy in ruins. The decline in the price of crude oil from $120 per barrel in June 2014 to $48 per barrel posed a challenge.

What the Federal Government did afterwards was to re-assess the economic situation and reduce the cost of governance.

In his first one hundred days, President Buhari set an example. He declared his assets. He also facilitated bailouts for distressed states to halt the cash crunch. States had found themselves in precarious situations. Many governors could not pay salaries promptly. The bailout offered temporary relief to 27 states on the verge of liquidation.

The former president also moved swiftly to block financial loopholes by insisting on a Treasury Single Account.

The anti-corruption mantra achieved some results. The government was on the trail of looted funds. Many suspects prosecuted and they forfeited ill-gotten wealth to the state.

Despite the activities of the anti-graft agencies and courts, unpatriotic Nigerians exploited the loopholes in the legislation and the alleged vulnerability of a few judicial officers to undermine the war.

Buhari successfully crossed the bridge from dictatorship to democratic constitutionalism. Throughout his administration, his hand was not heavy on any governor. He never deployed the federal might to win elections for his party at the state and federal levels. Even when members of his party committed indiscipline through their anti-party activities by supporting other candidates outside the APC, they were never reprimanded. That style weakened party supremacy and discipline in the ruling party.

Buhari gave a marching order to the Armed Forces to crush the Boko Haram insurgency from day one. Some successes were recorded. But not all the captured girls were rescued. A case in point is Leah Sharibu, the abducted Dapchi schoolgirl who is still in captivity.

The government confronted the Covid 19 challenge frontally. It also rose to the occasion by disbanding the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the police when it became a terror to Nigerians who protested against the impunity.

The energy crisis was not solved despite frantic attempts. The Ministry of Power painted an awful picture of continuous supply fluctuation. The non-resolution of the power challenge was not a boost to productive  was on its knees.

The oil sector became more problematic. Paradoxically, the sixth-largest producer of crude oil remained an importer of oil for domestic consumption. Refineries’ operations were at a low ebb, despite the huge investment in turnaround maintenance. Oil theft became a lucrative business, fueling suspicion of an institutional cover-up. The national carrier died completely. It could not be revived.

Buhari visited the neighbouring countries – Cameroun, Niger and Chad – to solicit their cooperation for the sustenance of the Joint Task Force. More weapons were procured from the right sources in aid of the war. But security reforms, which would have heralded a decentralised policing structure, were avoided. But it was to Buhari’s credit that Amotekun, the security outfit floated by Southwest governors, was allowed to see the light of the day.

Buhari honoured the memory of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola. He declared him president-elect. He also made June 12 Democracy Day.

Buhari established some tertiary institutions to enable youths gain more access to education.

At a time, the former leader was slowed down by protracted illness. He was hospitalised in London for 103 days. When he returned, he said: “I have not been this sick.” Then, speculators took to the social media, insinuating cloning. They invented an imaginary Jubril of Sudan in a bid to embarrass the former president. There was a time too when an invitation surfaced on the social media that Buhari was about to take a new wife. It paled into a tissue of lies.

Buhari’s parting gift was the signing of the bill on the decentralisation of rail transportation into law. Also, before he left, his government had removed the petrol subsidy.

Six months before he left power, Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele changed the currency, thereby throwing the country into a turmoil.

Buhari never openly declared a succession agenda. When former APC National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu announced that he had picked former Senate President Ahmed Lawan as his anointed candidate ahead of the presidential primary, the plot was disowned by the former president.

One of the achievements of Buhari was handing over to President Tinubu, the National Leader of the ruling party on May 29, 2023.

When few associates of Buhari recently called it quits with the ruling party, Buhari issued a statement reaffirming his faith in the party. Unlike Obasanjo and Jonathan, he never criticised the Tinubu government in the public.

He died a hero.

BOLAJI OGUNDELE recalls the times of former President Muhammadu Buhari, battles with ill-health, undeniable legacy in leadership and how Nigeria is likely to remember him.

In the lead up to the 2015 presidential election, one of the points for figures in the then ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to mock the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was the frail look of its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari. The drag got to a point where those in the ruling party, especially the then Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, took choice spots in several national dailies to place paid obituary advertisement of the man who would soon be the Commander-in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The election was held, Buhari won, becoming the first opposition candidate to oust a sitting Nigerian President. He made the run through his first term, ran a second time for the office and won again. A lot happened within those eight years, what never happened was his death which had been foretold by the PDP. He lasted more than 10 years after his political traducers in the opposition predicted his death before he finally signed out.

Meanwhile, his run of the country was not entirely a smooth sail, especially when talking about his humanness; he lived and lead like a normal human; ate when hungry, slept when nature called, joked when situation called for it, lost his cool when he felt the need to do so, especially when the media tested his tolerance for inappropriateness or indiscipline and fell ill when his frail, old body felt the pressure of leading a nation as complex as Nigeria. He finally yielded to one of such occasions of sickness yesterday.

Yesterday, Sunday, July 13, in a hospital in the United Kingdom (UK), Baba Maigaskiya, as Buhari was fondly called, answered the last call of his creator, he yielded to a yet-to-be-disclosed illness..

Early presidential years clouded by ill health and questions of capacity

Buhari’s health challenges began early in his presidency, raising questions about stability. In early 2016, he traveled abroad for medical treatment, diagnosed as an ear infection—prompting criticism of “health tourism” and leaving Nigerians uneasy about the transparency of his government’s medical disclosures. Within weeks, his presence again vanished as he sought extended care abroad.

Read Also: Tinubu mourns Awujale, says monarch’s passing met him with ‘double pain’

By mid-2017, concerns escalated dramatically. Buhari departed Nigeria on May 7 for what would become an unprecedented 103‑day medical sojourn in the UK. At the time, reports indicated that he had spent 153 of the first 231 days of the year overseas for medical treatment, igniting intense public debate about governance and continuity.

Nigerian media and civil society groups launched protests and online campaigns urging the President either to return or to transfer significant authority temporarily. Observers decried a “diminished” presidency due to his prolonged absence.

When Buhari finally returned on August 19, 2017, to a scene of jubilance at Abuja airport, he made little public comment other than, “you can assess for yourself—I am better.” Yet the complex questions lingered: Who had been leading, and was the nation equipped for sustained stability when its leader was unwell?

During that year alone, Buhari spent a total of 152 days abroad, emergency medical trips that included further visits in early 2017 and May 2018. Such intermittence in leadership underscored a public discourse balancing empathy for ailing leaders and concerns around executive fitness and transparency.

Buhari’s second term began May 29, 2019, promising continuity of his first-term priorities. Critics and supporters alike noted that his international medical trips decreased markedly; though there were occasional trips in 2021, none matched the gravity or length of earlier absences.

Freed somewhat from the spectre of ill health, Buhari shifted focus to advancing his ambitions in governance—through reforms in infrastructure, digital transformation, anti-corruption, and security.

Infrastructure Renaissance: Rails, Roads, Bridges, Ports

Infrastructure stood as a cornerstone of Buhari’s second-term achievements. Standard-gauge railway lines connecting Abuja–Kaduna (2016) and Lagos–Ibadan (June 2021) opened to passengers. The Abuja light rail, launched in 2018, resumed operations as COVID restrictions eased.

The Warri–Itakpe rail line spurred economic growth in central Nigeria. Nigeria boasted more kilometres of rail track in 2023 than at independence. Sukuk bonds and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) financed extensive highway development—8,353 km of completed roads, 896 km rehabilitated—and major airport upgrades in Abuja and Enugu  .

The iconic Second Niger Bridge, funded through PIDF, opened in phases (March 2022, fully operational December 2022), spanning 1.59 km and easing transport between the commercial East and South. Lagos–Ibadan expressway and major seaport projects—including Lekki Super Port and inland dry ports—were completed via public–private partnerships, improving interstate and international trade. These tangible milestones positioned Buhari’s administration as a builder of foundational trade and transport networks—legacy projects that many argue will have long-term national impact.

Digital governance and institutional reform

Buhari’s second term embraced the digital revolution: In November 2019, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) was launched, steering government online. In October 2020, official policy standardized virtual engagements for public institutions, which later facilitated remote meeting capabilities during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In February 2022, the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau was created to regulate data rights and privacy. These reforms aimed to modernize governance and build a digital native public administration.

Anti‑Corruption Caesar and Economic Reforms

Continuing his hallmark “war on graft” from his 2015 campaign, Buhari’s second term saw:

Further expansion of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which had already saved over ₦5 trillion by 2017; revenue centralization under Buhari continued into his second term. Strengthened anti-corruption prosecutions: Over 600 convictions by EFCC between 2015–2018, including high-profile figures like Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen and top military officers. The 2019 Finance Act reorganized fiscal transparency, bolstering anti-graft efforts. Yet critics argued the approach was selective, targeting political rivals more than party affiliates or allies.

Agriculture, social welfare and regional leadership

 Buhari’s agenda extended to agriculture, public health, and African leadership:

He backed large-scale AFDB investments, supported national agricultural transformation, and promoted the “Great Green Wall” to combat desertification. He also launched social welfare initiatives aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at poverty alleviation and rural uplift. He welcomed international acclaim: named African Union Anti‑Corruption Champion (2018), ECOWAS COVID‑19 Champion (2020), and President of the Pan-Africa Great Green Wall (2021). He also took leadership roles in regional security interventions: deployed forces to the Gambia in 2016 to restore democratic order, engaged the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram  .

Under his administration, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control gained statutory power and received ₦5 billion for pandemic preparedness.

Security and economic challenges

Despite structural gains, Buhari’s second term was clouded by persistent national challenges:

Economic headwinds included two recessions (2016, 2020), runaway inflation, over 20% unemployment, and unimproved poverty rates—earning Nigeria the ignominious title of “poverty capital of the world”. The strongest economic sector remained agriculture, though constrained by insecurity, fragmented policy execution, and land tenure issues. Security crises—including Boko Haram resurgences, banditry, kidnappings, and separatist agitation—eroded public confidence.

The paradox of performance and perception

Buhari’s leadership style—exemplifying military discipline and moral austerity—won him respect, especially in his northern stronghold. But his governance approach, often described as slow and distant, alienated many across the nation. While he embodied integrity and purpose, critics characterized his presidency as lacking empathy, coordination, and urgency.

Still, there remains consensus that his administration succeeded in securing financial resources and delivering visible infrastructure—distinct accomplishments in Nigeria’s democratic trajectory.

Final Act: Death and national response

On Sunday, July 13, 2025, at approximately, former President Buhari died in a London clinic after a long, undisclosed illness. In response, President Bol Ahmed Tinubu immediately ordered national flags be flown at half-mast for seven days, and convened an emergency Federal Executive Council session scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday. Tinubu also dispatched Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to London to escort Buhari’s remains home  .

In a personal tribute, Tinubu mourned Buhari, saying he “was, to the very core, a patriot, a soldier, a statesman” and pledged “full state honours befitting his towering contributions.” He described Buhari’s legacy of discipline, anti-corruption, unity, and service as qualities to inspire future generations and urged national prayers for his peaceful repose.

Bridging his life’s contradictions

Buhari’s story is a testament to dichotomy. Physically fragile yet mentally resolute, he pursued long-sought goals of infrastructural modernization and governance reform, even as Nigeria contended with insecurity, economic turbulence, and questions over leadership efficacy.

From military head of state in the mid-1980s to elected President in 2015 and 2019, Buhari embodied a disciplined, austere vision for national uplift. His policies—most notably infrastructural projects, fiscal reforms, and anti-corruption prosecutions—remain embedded in Nigeria’s institutional memory.

Muhammadu Buhari’s passing draws a moment of national introspection. His leadership brought measurable improvement in connectivity, digital transformation, and financial accountability. At the same time, his era was plagued by persistent poverty, unrelenting insecurity, and public mistrust.

Nigerians now face the complex legacy of a man who inspired authenticity and austerity but was challenged by transparency and inclusion.

Tinubu’s bridge to the future

In mourning, President Tinubu has chosen to exalt Buhari’s virtues of patriotism, discipline and unity. His declaration of full state honour and a national mourning week reflects an official elevation of the late leader’s narrative.

Yet, as Nigeria lights flags and lays wreaths, the nation also stands at an inflection point. Will future leaders build on infrastructure and governance reforms? Will accountability, development, and security gain priority? Buhari’s tenure offers both precedent and caution: ambition matched by constraint. As Tinubu ushers in a period of reflection and homage, Nigerian citizens will continue the work Buhari began—guided by lessons of courage and complexity.