The death of former President Muhammadu Buhari has triggered a wave of mixed reactions across Nigeria—ranging from solemn condolences to outright celebration. A recent video of young people in a northern town chanting “Buhari ya mutu” (Buhari is dead) in jubilant tones has stirred public debate and moral outrage. For some, this reaction is distasteful and un-African. For others, it reflects unresolved pain, bitterness, and betrayal.
Death, they say, is a leveler—bringing even kings to silence. But can it silence the anguish of citizens who lost loved ones in the wake of banditry, insurgency, and unfulfilled promises? For many Nigerians, particularly in Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, and Kogi States, Buhari’s administration left behind a trail of grief and disillusionment. The trauma they endured is not easily forgotten. Some have even declared they cannot forgive the former leader, even in death.
While many condemn such harsh sentiments, it’s important to acknowledge that everyone has the right to express their pain and perspective. For years, Nigerians placed heavy curses on Buhari while he was alive—angry at the spiraling insecurity, a battered economy, and a sense of abandonment. The argument now is: what changes after death? Is praising the dead who traumatized the living a sign of maturity or hypocrisy?
To be fair, Buhari was known for his Spartan lifestyle and rigid discipline—qualities that could have been assets to Nigeria. But even his wife, Aisha Buhari, once lamented publicly that many of the people around him did not have his best interest at heart. They were more enamored with the power he wielded than with any patriotic vision for the country.
Those who grieve or celebrate now are merely responding to the legacies they lived through. Nigerians are not necessarily heartless; they are wounded. And when leadership fails, the consequences outlive the leaders themselves.
In the end, what truly matters is the legacy we leave behind. Power is fleeting, and the office holders of today must remember that they, too, will one day become history. What people say after us will no longer be our concern—but it will shape how our generations our name, and our nation are remembered.
May the soul of former President Muhammadu Buhari rest in peace. And may those in power today lead with justice, compassion, and foresight—because the people never forget.
