Buhari: The Soldier Who Couldn’t Conquer Democracy By Umar Farouk Bala
When news broke last Sunday that former President Muhammadu Buhari had passed away in a London hospital, Nigeria paused — not just in grief, but in reflection.
His burial, held quietly in his hometown of Daura yesterday, was more than a final rite; it was the closing of a long, complicated chapter in Nigeria’s political history.
Buhari’s name once rang like thunder in Nigeria’s ears — for some, a symbol of discipline and integrity; for others, the face of silent aloofness. He was many things at once: a strict general, a reluctant democrat, a folk hero, and a flawed president.
He wore his military uniform with resolve, yet struggled under the weight of civilian robes. His story remains one of Nigeria’s most improbable: from the dusty streets of Daura to Dodan Barracks, and then, decades later, to the Aso Rock Villa — this time through the ballot, not the barrel.
As a military ruler in the 1980s, Buhari was strict, driven by a clear moral code, and deeply intolerant of corruption. His War Against Indiscipline reshaped public life, for better or worse.
But it was a short reign, and after his ouster in 1985, he stepped into the shadows — not defeated, but watchful. What followed was perhaps his most enduring political feat: returning as a civilian president in 2015, riding on the back of mass frustration with the old political class, especially in Northern Nigeria, where his popularity became legend.
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That return was historic. But history does not wait for sentiment. While Buhari’s presidency promised change, what followed was a government often weighed down by silence, inertia, and the complexities of democratic governance.
His war against corruption was passionate but uneven. His response to economic hardship, insecurity, and youth agitation often felt distant, even cold.
Nigerians remembered the general who once jailed indisciplined officials but now saw a leader slower to act and harder to reach. Still, Buhari held a place few could. His spartan lifestyle and austere reputation stood apart in a sea of flamboyant politics.
Even in criticism, many believed he meant well. His 12-million-vote base, carved from the North’s poorest and most loyal, stayed with him through thick and thin. He was not just a politician to them — he was Baba.
But Baba also disappointed many, especially those who hoped he would lead Nigeria out of its endless cycle of crisis and corruption. Instead, the fuel subsidy lingered. Inflation rose. The nation’s young became angrier and more disillusioned.
Now that he is gone, Buhari leaves behind a legacy that will be debated for years. He ruled Nigeria twice. He shaped the nation’s politics with a quiet force few could match.
He had his failings, no doubt. But he also had a conviction that Nigeria needed a strong hand — a belief forged in the barracks and carried, with difficulty, into democracy. The verdict on his life will remain complex.
But no one can deny that the man from Daura left a mark on the Nigerian story that time cannot erase. May history remember him with honesty. May his soul find peace.
