“One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised.”
—Chinua Achebe
By Omoniyi Salaudeen
After 82 years of an eventful sojourn on this mother earth, Nigeria’s immediate past president, Daura-born General, Muhammadu Buhari, finally bowed out on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Like few of such incidents before it, outpouring of emotions, tributes, condolences, and commentaries have been quite overwhelming. And understandably so, because the late taciturn former President was one of the two exceptionally lucky individuals who had the opportunity to govern Nigeria twice – first, as a military head of state, and secondly, as a democratically elected president. On both occasions, his reign was phenomenal, combining a tale of the good, the bad and the ugly.
By divine grace, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo is the last man standing, parading the political landscape like a colossus. Even at 88, he has shown no sign of fatigue. Such people are rare to come by. They are like the comet. They come once in a blue moon. While Obsanjo spent a combined tenure of eleven years and seven months, precisely February 13, 1976 to September 30, 1979 in the first instance as head of state and May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2007, as civilian president, Buhari had good nine and a half years superintending over the affairs of the country. It may take another century to witness such a rare feat.
History has recorded what Buhari did with the opportunity he had to lead the country. To many of his admirers, especially his cult-like following in the North, he was the best thing that happened to Nigeria. He gave his best to the country. But whether that best was good enough for the nation is a different ballgame.
Some ferocious critics simply adopted ‘feeble’ as the word for effective characterisation of his leadership style – weak, slow and lacking strength to make tough decisions. In recent past, he was the only known Nigeria’s President who would delegate power but would not demand accountability. His hands-off style was the major downside of his presidency and the reason many of his policies nosedived.
No matter what people say, no matter the sentiment and emotions attached to his actions or inactions, no matter the bias and prejudices against his tenure, one thing is sure: history with all its alienating necessities will not judge wrongly. It is on record that Buhari left a legacy of piety, integrity and frugality. This is one aspect of his character that was rarely questioned.
As a devout Muslim, his piety was evident in his Spartan public life and personal demeanor. Sometimes addressed as Mr. Integrity, Buhari cultivated and largely maintained an image of being personally incorruptible, who was not interested in personal enrichment from public office. He built the image during his time as military Head of State in the 1980s, marked by the “War Against Indiscipline” (WAI) and efforts to combat corruption. Even after leaving power, he maintained a reputation of personal austerity and honesty.
His assets declaration, simple lifestyle, and perceived lack of ostentation were often cited as evidence of his personal honesty.
However, the effectiveness of this personal integrity in transforming Nigeria’s broader governance and anti-corruption fight during his presidency is another subject of debate. While he was generally perceived as incorruptible, his administration faced numerous allegations of corruption among his appointees and within government. All his personal attributes did not fully translate into the expected transformation of Nigeria’s systemic challenges, particularly his perceived uncompromising fight against corruption or a significant improvement in the nation’s economic fortunes.
This underscored the complexity of anti-corruption war in Nigeria, suggesting that personal integrity alone might not be sufficient to dismantle deeply entrenched systemic corruption without robust institutions, political will across all levels, and consistent, unbiased enforcement.
Beyond that, the perceived ineptitude of the Buhari administration left the economy broke, poverty worsened and insecurity escalated. Over the eight years of his reign, Nigeria’s public debt ballooned significantly, while the cost of governance remained high, suggesting that systemic frugality was cosmetic. The controversial fuel subsidy, which he had once criticized, also continued for most of his tenure, raising questions about financial prudence.
Worst of all was the escalation of the incessant farmer/herder clashes. Numerous reports from organisations like the International Crisis Group, Amnesty International, and the civil society groups indicate a significant escalation in the frequency, intensity, and geographical spread of herder-farmer conflicts. For instance, Benue State alone reportedly recorded over 5,000 deaths between 2015 and early 2023 due to these clashes. The conflict expanded beyond the traditional flashpoints in the Middle Belt to engulf parts of the South and North-West.
Beyond the human toll, the clashes led to massive destruction of property, disruption of farming activities, worsening food insecurity, and increased ethnic and religious tensions across the country.
While the crises persisted, his administration was either slow, complacent, or even complicit in addressing the attacks perpetrated by Fulani herders. Buhari’s occasional public statements, describing foreign Fulani herders from Libya as “our kinsmen,”further fuelled public suspicion surrounding the government’s proposal to establish Ruga Settlements as well as the implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP). The stakeholders in the South interpreted the proposal as an attempt to create settlements for Fulani herders on their ancestral lands, rather than genuine solutions. The rest is history.
Notwithstanding the criticisms that trailed the abysmal performance of his administration, even in death, Buhari still remained a symbolic figure and an elder statesman in the North. His demise will definitely create a huge vacuum in terms of a singular, widely revered Northern political figure. For now, his core loyalists are orphaned. Sooner or later, they will seek new political homes.
On the flip side, figures like Atiku Abubakar or Rabiu Kwankwaso, who also have strong Northern support, might see this as an opportunity to further solidify their influence. The broader implication is that the battle for dominant control of the region will intensify. And this could lead to more complex negotiations for national political parties seeking Northern support.
For the defunct CPC faithful who have found a new alliance in ADC, they must be worried now that Buhari’s death has removed a potential stabilising or disruptive force within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the North and could accelerate internal realignments within the party itself as it gears up for 2027.
The post Muhammadu Buhari: North without Mr Integrity appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
