Humans are made up of body and soul. The body is of the earth. The soul is divine. The body dies. The soul lives. The body is buried to dissipate the distress. The soul is a spirit; no one knows better. Faith enters the equation: Don’t speak ill of the dead. The death of one diminishes humanity. Such cultural mumbo-jumbo emissions help to heal the heart of the grieving.
I understand not speaking ill of the dead. It is of no use. The deceased has lost the physical ability to counter. Yet, the memories of life cannot be swept away. Interestingly, the speed with which we forget the dear departed is alarming. Lucky are those of whom the living still recall just months after they leave the scene. Therefore, the focus is on learning the lessons of the life lived—not rehashing rabidly the actions of the deceased.
So let it be with Muhammadu Buhari.
It is not easy to recall the good deeds that Buhari did with the great opportunities he had. As a military muscleman, his laudable ‘war against indiscipline’ turned into draconian decrees, including ludicrous long jail terms for political prisoners, muzzling of mainstream media, and shocking retroactive public execution of petty drug dealers!
On his second coming, Buhari dashed the hopes of Nigerians by unleashing more corruption, bandits, and terrorist herdsmen with AK-47. He visited his signature violence of dogs and baboons on EndSARS protesters. He was particularly harsh on the Southeast, “the dot” in his warped ethnic estimation, which is to be visited with threats of another genocide. When censored for the vile statement, he banned Twitter (now X). Not even on his way out would Buhari forgive Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo (Igboho), and El Zakzaky, the Shi’a Muslim cleric. On the other hand, he treated the butchering Boko Haram terrorists with mittens!
Buhari died peacefully in London, where he had spent many moons receiving good medical attention. His wife, who had been living in Dubai, reportedly relayed a plea for forgiveness. Fair enough: forgiven, not forgotten. Meanwhile, MNK (whom courts in Kenya and Nigeria have freed) languishes in jail because Buhari would not forgive a simple juvenile insult. What will it take for men to accept mistakes and make amends while the good gods guarantee life! I hope that Yakubu Gowon is listening and learning, not adding more insults of lies to injuries he caused and failed to heal.
When the present emotions ebb, Nigerians must rise against medical tourism. It is ridiculous that Nigeria cannot set up topnotch medical facilities to treat its top executives. Putting Nigerian leaders at the mercy of foreign pharmacological firms is a screaming shame and a stupid security risk. Ironically, Nigerian medicos who offer commendable care abroad can offer better care in Nigeria.
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu should establish decent hospitals at which prominent politicians get great care and die peacefully when the time comes—as it will come inevitably. We had two former heads of state in London, possibly getting care from exiled Nigerian doctors they could not keep in the country. The cost of retrieving the remains of Buhari and transporting people to and from the UK is enough to equip a set-aside standard clinic in Abuja, FCT.
Before he jets out to France again, President Tinubu must learn the lasting lessons of the current bala-blu (hullabaloo) and think of legacy, a bequest for the memory of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
#moe, 7.15.25