Nigeria’s former president, Muhammadu Buhari, was laid to rest on Tuesday in his native town of Daura, Katsina State, in the northwestern region of the country. His passing on Sunday in London, where he had been undergoing prolonged medical treatment, closes a complex chapter in the political history of Africa’s most populous country, home to over 220 million people.
From Military Ruler to Elected President
Buhari’s political career spanned over four decades. He first came to power in 1983 as a military ruler after seizing control through a coup d’état. His rule, marked by strict discipline and a focus on anti-corruption, was short-lived; he was ousted by fellow officers in August 1985.
After years in the political wilderness, Buhari returned to the national scene and was democratically elected in 2015 after three failed attempts. His victory was historic — he became Nigeria’s first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president. Campaigning on promises of anti-corruption, improved security, and economic reform, Buhari initially enjoyed widespread public support across ethnic and religious lines.
A Presidency Marked by Crisis and Controversy
Buhari governed Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, a period characterized by escalating security challenges, economic turbulence, and deepening social divisions. Though he pledged to eliminate the terrorist group Boko Haram, violence persisted across various regions. Insurgent groups in the northeast, bandits in the northwest, separatist tensions in the southeast, and militancy in the oil-rich Niger Delta severely tested his administration.
Economically, Nigeria experienced two recessions under Buhari’s tenure, primarily due to falling oil prices and controversial monetary policies. His insistence on maintaining an artificial exchange rate and restrictions on foreign currency access led to severe currency shortages, harming businesses and consumers alike. Inflation soared, eroding purchasing power for millions.
Furthermore, Buhari faced intense criticism over his frequent medical absences abroad, with extended periods in the UK that sparked constitutional concerns and transparency issues. Many Nigerians expressed resentment over his use of taxpayer funds for treatment overseas while the country’s healthcare system remained underfunded and overwhelmed.
Civil Unrest and Democratic Backsliding
Buhari’s administration was also marred by accusations of authoritarianism. In 2020, a youth-led movement known as #EndSARS — protesting police brutality — captured global attention. The government’s response, including the military’s fatal shooting of demonstrators at Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, drew widespread condemnation. Human rights organizations accused Buhari of silencing dissent, especially after his government imposed restrictions on social media platforms used by protesters and activists.
Though some supporters credit Buhari for infrastructure projects and an attempt to instill fiscal discipline, many Nigerians believe his tenure deepened ethnic and regional divisions, especially between the largely Muslim north and Christian south. His economic policies disproportionately affected the poor and exacerbated youth unemployment, contributing to widespread dissatisfaction.
A Divisive Legacy
In a tribute, current President Bola Tinubu praised Buhari as “a patriot, a soldier, a statesman… to the very core,” and sent the vice president to accompany the return of Buhari’s remains from London to Nigeria. But public reactions have been far more divided.
To many, Buhari remains a symbol of unfulfilled promises — a leader who began with high hopes of national renewal but left office amid heightened insecurity, economic hardship, and democratic regression. His death reopens public reflection on a complex figure: a man hailed for personal integrity but ultimately overwhelmed by the scale of Nigeria’s structural crises.
