By Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor
Sometimes, the only way to look like a hero in Nigeria is to be followed by a worse villain.
The recently announced death and burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari was not merely a national event; it became an unintended referendum on Nigeria’s deepening economic crisis. In a cruel twist of irony, many who once condemned his eight-year rule as rudderless and disastrous are now eulogizing him. But do these praises reflect reality; or are they a desperate response to a worsening national condition?
Let us not forget the facts. Buhari’s administration left behind a battered economy; a divided nation and a weakened currency. Under his watch, Nigeria plunged into two recessions. Inflation soared. Public debt ballooned. Insecurity remained rampant. His vaunted anti-corruption drive, once hailed as a moral crusade, eventually came to resemble a political tool rather than a principled policy.
And yet, at his burial, tributes flowed as though he had redefined leadership. Some called him “transparent”, others “visionary” and “economically astute.” But where was this foresight when fuel subsidies were mismanaged; foreign exchange policies were chaotic; borders were arbitrarily closed; and blame was ceaselessly cast on “16 years of PDP”?
Here lies the uncomfortable truth: what has changed is not Buhari’s legacy, but the current level of suffering under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In less than a year, the Tinubu administration has, in the eyes of many, made Buhari appear almost saintly. Not because Buhari governed well; he did not; but because Nigerians are now enduring something far worse.
Buhari’s infamous parting words echo louder today: “Nigerians will beg for my return.” Once dismissed as delusional, they now carry an eerie resonance.
Had this news of his passing broken three years ago, many Nigerians might have responded with relief; or even celebration. But in a country now crippled by hyperinflation, erratic fuel pricing, deepening poverty, and escalating insecurity, his burial was marked not with jeers but with solemnity. Not because he earned reverence, but because Nigerians are weary, disillusioned, and fast losing hope.
Yes, Buhari was buried like a hero; not because he led like one, but because history has placed him beside something darker.
Once again, we are reminded: in the Nigerian story, villains can become saints; not by their deeds, but by the depth of national despair.
The question remains: Have Nigerians learned anything at all?
Signed:
Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor (KSC)
July 16, 2025
