Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu (rtd)
The passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari has stirred a whirlwind of emotions—grief, praise, anger, disappointment, reflection. From being once adored with cult-like loyalty to being posthumously judged with painful candour, the spectrum of reactions has been as wide as Nigeria itself.
In a country where culture and religion traditionally teach us not to speak ill of the dead, the fact that many Nigerians chose to break that unwritten rule is telling. Some called him an honest man. Others, a wicked one. Some said he was a good man, but a bad leader. Some blamed him for some actions he took while others blamed him for inaction for doing nothing.
Some blamed betrayal by those he trusted who understood his weaknesses and exploited them. Some simply didn’t like him, some liked him but stopped liking him, some liked him warts and all, till death. He was different things to different Nigerians.
Whatever the truth may be – if there is such a thing in matters of legacy—it is now beyond him. But it is not beyond those of us still alive.
For every Nigerian leader still alive, this should be a moment of deep reflection. A rude awakening. That for this generation of Nigerians, unlike the generations of yore, final judgment is no longer postponed until history books are written – it now begins the very day you draw your last breath.
And it is not reserved for ex presidents alone. Every Councillor, Commissioner, Governor, Military Officer, Senator, or Special Adviser – your turn too will come. You/we shall all die, and the people will pass their verdicts, as it is even before we are buried.
It would seem to me, as it would to any discerning person, that unlike before, when “Speak no ill of the dead” was the accepted traditional and religious norm, its shocking to see that death no longer grants immunity. Not even religion or ethnic or regional kinship can shield from the verdict of the people you served – or failed to serve. Death may not cleanse a legacy. It will simply unlock it.
For me personally, never have I feared public office as much as I have in the past few days. Because of what I heard. Because of what I read. Before of what I saw. Because now I know: A title, office or position offers no protection from truth. A convoy does not silence memory. And praise singers will not write your epitaph.
So, to every leader in this country, you should pause and ask yourself: What will they say about you when you are gone? You may say, “It won’t matter- I’ll be dead.” But your family will still live. Your name will still echo. And your deeds – or misdeeds – will be weighed in the hearts and mouths of those you governed.
To all our Big Men who attended PMBs burial, when you leave Daura for your various destinations, you should leave as sadder and wiser men. Let it be not with pride, but with humility. Not with noise, but with deep thought. Let this moment humble us all.
Because in the end, what matters is not how long you were in office – but how long you are remembered for the right reasons.
But Man, is a forgetful animal.
Group Captain Sadeeq Garba Shehu (rtd) is a Security Sector Reform Consultant