By Abubakar Yunusa
One year after the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, memories of his six-decade journey through Nigeria’s military and democratic history remain as divided as the nation he once led.
Across markets, campuses, motor parks, offices and farming communities, Nigerians are once again reflecting on the man whose leadership inspired admiration in some quarters and frustration in others.
At the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Asokoro, Abuja, dignitaries led by President Bola Tinubu are expected for a solemn interfaith remembrance programme organised by the Central Planning Committee of Buhari’s family, friends and former aides.
The highlight of the event will be the public unveiling of a tribute book, Tributes and Condolences in Honour of Muhammadu Buhari, which compiles reflections from heads of state, diplomats and political leaders from across the world.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who chairs the committee, said the volume portrays the late president as a man of simplicity, resilience and integrity.
He noted that the book would be distributed free to Nigerians rather than sold.
For a man who governed Nigeria for eight years, and whose earlier stint as military Head of State in the 1980s still shapes how many older Nigerians define discipline, the one-year anniversary of his death has become an opportunity for the country to sift through a complicated inheritance—part reverence, part reckoning.
Mustapha described the past year as one of quiet mourning for those who worked closely with Buhari.
Recalling a final dinner with the former president in London before his death, Mustapha said he had lost more than a boss; he had lost a mentor and a father figure.
He added that the past year had been a season of “solemn reflection” on Buhari’s years in office.
Bashir Ahmad, Buhari’s former presidential media aide, who is organising a parallel prayer gathering, remembered his former principal as someone who served Nigeria with “commitment, integrity, discipline and patriotism,” insisting that his contributions to the country’s development would remain etched in history.
Femi Adesina, Buhari’s longest-serving spokesman, who wrote a widely shared tribute admitting he never expected his former boss to go so soon, described him as “a soldier of soldiers, an officer and a gentleman.”
He said Buhari’s insistence on merit over favouritism was one of the quiet hallmarks of his administration.
Garba Shehu, another former presidential spokesman, described Buhari as one of the rarest men to grace political life anywhere in the world—a public servant untouched by the lure of personal wealth.
Recalling the phrase Buhari himself often used to describe his politics, Shehu said the former president always insisted: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.”
However, beyond the official tributes, ordinary Nigerians hold more varied memories.
As remembrance activities take place across the country today, conversations have shifted from politics to legacy, with many asking one simple question: What will Buhari ultimately be remembered for?
For millions of Nigerians, Buhari was a leader whose personal lifestyle reflected discipline and modesty. Even many of his critics rarely accused him of living extravagantly while in office.
Supporters argue that he remained committed to fighting corruption, expanding infrastructure and promoting local agricultural production.
Others, however, insist that his administration will also be remembered for worsening economic hardship, rising insecurity, unemployment and the decline of the naira.
Like many former Nigerian leaders, Buhari’s legacy continues to provoke debate.
Speaking with Peoples Daily, many expressed mixed but heartfelt opinions. A commercial bus driver in Nasarawa said the first thing that comes to mind is infrastructure, particularly the Second Niger Bridge and the Lagos-Ibadan railway, projects he believes made travel across the country easier.
A civil servant in Abuja remembered instead the hardship caused by the naira redesign policy and fuel scarcity, but conceded that “at least the man himself never stole.”
A trader in Mararaba, older and more sentimental, simply said Nigeria had lost its last truly incorruptible soldier-statesman.
In Abuja, 60-year-old driver Ibrahim Salifu said Buhari’s honesty remains his greatest legacy.
“Whether people like him or not, nobody can say Buhari came to power to enrich himself. He lived a simple life and that is what I will always remember.”
For many older Nigerians, Buhari’s reputation for personal integrity survived the political storms of his presidency.
The anti-corruption campaign he championed from his first days in office in 2015 remains one of the defining features of his administration.
While several high-profile investigations and recoveries were recorded, critics argued that the war against corruption appeared selective and failed to deliver the sweeping reforms many Nigerians had expected.
In Nasarawa, business owner Uche Okeke believes Buhari’s government fell short economically despite its good intentions.
“He meant well in some areas, but businesses suffered. Exchange rate instability and inflation made life extremely difficult. That is what many entrepreneurs still remember.”
Indeed, economic issues continue to dominate discussions about Buhari’s years in office.
His administration inherited a recession, faced another economic contraction during the COVID-19 pandemic and grappled with declining oil revenues.
Although the government invested heavily in roads, rail projects and social intervention programmes, many households struggled with rising food prices and shrinking purchasing power. However, some have argued that the prices of food in the Buhari era was paradise compared to what Nigerians experienced in the first two years of the current administration.
In Abuja, farmer Muhammad Hamza recalled Buhari’s agricultural policies with mixed feelings.
“We benefited from some farming programmes and people returned to agriculture. But insecurity later stopped many farmers from going to their farms. That affected everything.”
Agriculture became one of Buhari’s signature policy areas through initiatives aimed at boosting local food production and reducing dependence on imports. He insisted that the nation should be able to feed itself and attain food security.
However, persistent attacks on farming communities across several states limited the gains many producers had hoped to achieve.
Security remains perhaps the most contentious aspect of Buhari’s legacy.
When he assumed office in 2015, many Nigerians believed his military background would significantly reduce terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. While the government recorded successes against insurgents in some regions, insecurity later spread to many parts of the country, leaving thousands displaced and communities devastated.
For university student Ogwu Samuel in Ayingba, Kogi State, this remains difficult to forget.
“We expected more because of his military experience. Sadly, insecurity became worse in many places. That is the first thing many young people remember.”
Yet Buhari’s supporters insist history should judge him beyond the challenges that confronted his administration.
Among the projects most frequently mentioned are the rehabilitation of major highways, expansion of railway infrastructure, completion of the Second Niger Bridge, investments in airports and increased attention to social investment programmes.
Civil servant Abdullahi Sani in Mararaba believes these achievements deserve greater recognition.
“Roads, rail and infrastructure improved under Buhari. Government is continuous, but many of those projects started and progressed during his administration.”
Meanwhile, political analysts say Buhari also reshaped Nigeria’s political landscape by becoming the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president in the 2015 election, strengthening confidence in democratic transitions.
His victory over former President Goodluck Jonathan marked a historic turning point that many observers believe deepened Nigeria’s democratic culture.
For youth advocate Mary Peter in Abuja, Buhari’s greatest lesson lies beyond policy.
“His life teaches that public office is temporary. Leaders should focus on what people will remember after they leave office.”
Indeed, Buhari’s death has prompted renewed conversations about leadership, accountability and national service.
Retired teacher Emmanuel Audu in Kogi believes both views can coexist.
“Every leader has strengths and weaknesses. Buhari served Nigeria for many years, first as a soldier and later as an elected president. History should remember both his achievements and his mistakes.”
Political historian Muhammed Hamza said Buhari occupied a unique place in Nigeria’s history, having ruled both as military Head of State in the 1980s and returned three decades later as a democratically elected president.
Few Nigerian leaders have experienced such contrasting chapters of national leadership.
