My heart is troubled, deeply troubled, because we are on the verge of losing the one thing that sets Nigeria apart as the largest gathering of caring, appreciative, and happiest people on the surface of the earth. Available records have shown that we are our brother’s keeper, no matter the odds confronting us at any given moment. We are that unique species forever prepared to blot out the sins of our fellow countrymen, urging them, if they can, to feel free to commit further sins some other time. As a people, we have mastered the art of explaining away the glaring indiscretions of our once-upon-a-time tormentors-in-chief, venerating them as untouchable tin gods.
Such is the purity of our hearts that we allow those who have plundered our collective patrimony to walk off with their loot, even as they continue pelting us with stones. Sometimes, we go a step further and reward these audacious great ones with grand chieftaincy titles. Yes, we are so understanding that those who once pinched millions from our coffers have now graduated to performing financial abracadabra with billions of naira in one fell swoop—just to ensure they live happily ever after, post-office, either as elected representatives or as privileged government bureaucrats. Time and again, we have proven to the world that we are satisfied with the crumbs left on the table by these pillagers, as long as they are our fellow compatriots. We even mock those who preach against grand larceny, asking them to wait until their turn comes for unrestricted access to the national pie and see if they won’t do worse. Yes, we are that dim-witted in the defense of our own, sometimes dancing to the rhythm of infernal drums at the market square just to celebrate successful white-collar criminals.
In all of this, one man has stood out. He came into power with nothing beyond a few cows and left office with even fewer, surviving only on the meagre pension and allowances the state could afford. The irony is not that his better half enjoys plush luxury in Dubai; rather, it is that despite leaving room for a significant number of aides and hangers-on to become overnight billionaires in naira and dollars, this exceptional paragon of honesty in Nigeria’s 25 years of democratic practice has apparently retired to his farm, almost poorer than he was in 2015. Even this week, another of his aides was called in by the EFCC for allegedly awarding contracts to family members, inflating NHIS’ ICT budget from N4.9 billion to N8.7 billion, and approving payments beyond his limit. But I assure you, Buhari’s impeccable record remains just that—impeccable!
While his predecessors boast of some of the finest homes and businesses linked to their cronies, this seemingly unreal Nigerian former leader has claimed he can barely feed himself. Now, if this isn’t a rarity in our clime, what is? And this is why I am deeply troubled that not a single Nigerian has deemed it fit to set up a GoFundMe account to help former President Muhammadu Buhari at this critical moment, two years after he magisterially vacated the Aso Rock Villa.
Are you still pretending not to grasp the urgency of Knucklehead’s plea today? No, don’t be whimsical. This is not the time for jokes. It is, for me, a time to be serious about helping one of our own, just as we have done for others we barely know outside of social media and blogs. We have numerous accounts of how Nigerians have rallied together to put smiles on the faces of hundreds of vulnerable citizens at their lowest points. If we have done this unprompted before, why shouldn’t we now be eager to rain naira on Buhari, who, in a shocking turn of events, recently revealed that he has been struggling to make ends meet? Oh, let’s not pretend we didn’t hear the news—it was widely publicised. How can anyone with blood running through their veins ignore the muted cry for help from a man who once held Africa’s largest economy in his grip? Why should we allow him to descend so low that he is now reportedly living on rent from one of his houses in Kaduna? That is not the Nigerian spirit of brotherhood the world has come to recognise!
Let me state clearly that I am unmoved by the coordinated blackmail of some online rats and Buhari haters questioning what the two-time Nigerian leader and retired Army General has been doing with the humongous pensions and gratuities extended to him by the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army, including gifts of exotic cars and payments for domestic staff. My problem with these ungrateful elements is this—by the way, how much is that pittance being mischievously described as a government largesse that we now expect Buhari to use in feeding his large family? Why are we so callous towards a man who dedicated his life to public service at the expense of his personal wellbeing?
Remember, when he was leaving office, his spokesman, Garba Shehu, informed us that Buhari recorded a decrease in the number of cows at his Daura ranch, which he once said were easier to control than Nigerians. “The completed (assets) declaration shows that his movable assets did not increase, at home in Nigeria or outside, and he did not add new bank accounts beyond the one he had in Union Bank, Kaduna,” Shehu reported. He further disclosed that the number of cattle and goats on Buhari’s farm had only slightly decreased. True, Mai Gaskiya did not publicly declare his assets before and after office, but the ever-suspicious Nigerian media and civic groups continued mounting pressure on him to publish his asset declaration documents for independent verification.
In December 2023, the government earmarked N13,805,814,220 for the upkeep of former presidents, vice-presidents, heads of state, Chiefs of General Staff, retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and former heads of agencies in the 2024 fiscal year. Out of this sum, only N2.3 billion was allocated to Buhari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar, Yemi Osinbajo, and other former leaders. When broken down, we realise that the nation is short-changing these men of lofty ideals, particularly a Buhari who neither saw nor spoke against the alleged corruption within his inner circle. Should we now allow such a man to live on rent in Kaduna?
What is wrong with raising a few billion or trillion naira as a token of our love for a man who reshaped our lives during eight years of smiling through our pain? In a country overflowing with millionaires and billionaires, he shouldn’t be waiting on rent to feed. Or should he?
Buhari himself has hinted at something deeper. “Nigeria is a difficult country to govern, but most Nigerians are unaware. Until you find yourself in an administrative position, you won’t understand the complexities. I look much better and healthier now than when I was President. Anyone who sees me acknowledges that. After my eight years as President, I have only three houses—one in Daura and two in Kaduna. I have given one out for rent, from which I get money for feeding.”
It is beyond the scope of this piece to verify the claims of those who say that empty bank accounts suddenly became fat within years of entering government. My concern is to appeal to the ever-supportive and understanding Nigerians to rally together and support our former leader in his time of need. We’re not asking for much—just a small donation to help him put food on the table, pay his utilities, and manage his miscellaneous expenses. After all, being a former President comes with its perks, but also its costs.
So, let’s come together and make this happen. Let’s show President Buhari that we care, that we appreciate all he has done for us. The target is flexible and achievable—even though we won’t invite Emefiele, Sirika, or any of the ‘miracle workers’ from the Buhari era. Maybe N10 trillion will do, to support Buhari’s living expenses. It’s a lofty goal, but together, we can make it happen.
So, what are you waiting for? Head to our GoFundMe page and make a donation today. Let’s make this happen, Nigeria! Let’s support our former President in his time of need. Who is with me?
