Just moments after the last results for the Presidential elections were read, the Wikipedia profile of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was changed. It was a minor change but no less significant, it designated him as “Nigeria’s President-elect.”
There are two things that would define Gen. Buhari who many of his political supporters fondly refer to as Baba. One would be his time as Nigeria’s Military Head of State between December 1983 and August 27, 1985. The other would be his foray into partisan politics and his four attempts at the highest office in the land. He contested unsuccessfully for the top post thrice in 2003, 2007 and 2011. But he became lucky in 2015.
Gen. Buhari has crafted for himself the image of an incorruptible leader, an anti-corruption czar and a converted democrat. Though hard driving and demanding when need be, many frustrated and angry Nigerians easily gravitated towards him as the man who could salvage the country from an inescapable slide down the abyss following years of corruption and economic ruin.
After three attempts at the Presidency under different political platforms, Gen. Buhari under the mega party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), finally won. He unseated President Goodluck Jonathan – the man who stopped his third attempt.
Gen. Buhari has come a long way. Born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, to Adamu and Zulaihat, he was raised by his mother, after his father died when he was a child.
In 1971, he married his first wife, Safinatu (née Yusuf). They had five children together, four girls and boy.
In 1988, Gen. Buhari and Safinatu divorced. In December 1989, he married Aisha (née Halilu). They also have five children together, a boy and four girls, Aisha, Halima, Yusuf, Zarah and Amina.
But tragedy was not far behind. On January 14, 2006, Safinatu died from complications of diabetes. She was buried at Unguwar Rimi cemetery in Kaduna in accordance with Islamic rites. Also in November 2012, Gen. Buhari’s first daughter Zulaihat died from sickle cell anemia, two days after having a baby at a Hospital in Kaduna.
Gen. Buhari joined the Army in 1961 and rose to become a general.
He remains something of a folk hero to many young Nigerians, especially the youth. His heroic performance as chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and his staunch anti- corruption stand stood him out as the man needed for this time. Many young Nigerians desirous of a change from the status quo flooded to him and his “Change” slogan began a household chorus.
But is Buhari a man for this season? The leader of the APC and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu thought so. In one of the campaign stops in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Tinubu went down memory lane saying when nations were at the time of crisis, they usually call on their retired Generals. “Nigeria is in crisis, we are calling on Gen. Buhari,” he said. The crowd agreed with him.
Gen. Buhari is also viewed as an enigma by millions of the ordinary Nigerians, who his opponents have rudely labeled as his “foot soldiers”. But to many of his opponents, Gen. Buhari was a hardened, uncompromising dictator who is not attuned to democratic tenets. They also viewed him as a religious fundamentalist. But one thing they have been unable to accuse him of is corruption enrichment.
Gen. Buhari was aware of the undesirable toga that hung on him going into the 2015 Presidential election and to diffuse it, he never shied from flaunting his new found democratic credentials and religious tolerance.
During an interview, Gen. Buhari accepted responsibility for the actions during his time as military Head of State. Though he tried to justify the decisions taken at the time, he insisted it was the best thing for the country. He also acknowledged that he has been able to learn the democratic tenets and is ready to work with all as a democrat.
But the allegation that seemed to pain Gen. Buhari most is that of being a religious fundamentalist and it took many painful explanations for him to extricate himself from this hateful allegation. The Vice President designate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor and lawyer also came to his aid many times to debunk the allegations.
Having been elected by Nigerians to lead the nation in a new direction, is Gen. Buhari a reformed democrat? A peep into his speech on March 17 2015, at an interactive session with the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) reveals so much.
Gen. Buhari said: “I have said elsewhere that I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. Dictatorship goes with military rule as do edicts such as Decree 4. However, I am a former–former; note the emphasis on the word ‘former’–military ruler and now a converted democrat, who is ready to operate under democratic norms. I am not only subjecting myself to the rigours of democratic elections for the fourth time, but even after being elected, I will continue to promote the consolidation of democracy in our great country, Nigeria, by guaranteeing that the media’s freedom is not compromised in any way.
“I give you my full assurances that the Nigerian media will be free under our APC government. I also want to use this opportunity to appeal to you to use your media outlets in shaping positive public discourse and eschew hate speech mongering and slanderous political rhetorics which heat up the polity for the sake of peace and stability of our dear nation. “
