President Muhammadu Buhari, former Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, passed on in a London hospital. With his death, an era in Nigeria’s political and military history quietly comes to a close.
Born in Daura, Katsina State, in 1942, Muhammadu Buhari was a man of austere discipline, uncompromising convictions, and a towering presence in Nigeria’s national journey. From his early days as a soldier to his emergence as a military ruler in 1983, and then decades later, as a democratically elected president in 2015, his story was one of tenacity, paradox, and patriotism.
Buhari’s leadership style was often described as firm, focused, and frugal. His admirers saw in him a man determined to wage war against corruption and indiscipline; his critics, on the other hand, saw rigidity and missed opportunities. Yet none can deny that he inspired loyalty, stirred debates, and left indelible footprints across Nigeria’s political landscape.
He was a symbol of northern conservatism and national resilience—a man who commanded respect in silence and led with an unyielding sense of duty, whether in boots or in babanriga.
As the nation reflects, we remember a man who meant different things to different people—but who undeniably mattered.
May his soul rest in peace.
Bello Abdullahi
