The former Nigerian president has passed away. A feared military figure and controversial head of state, he left a lasting mark on several generations of Nigerians, beginning in the 1960s.

News of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's death on July 13, 2025, at age 82, caught much of Africa’s political class off guard. His family announced his passing, which followed an illness, and tributes have since poured in from around the world. Nigerians and the world will now reflect on his legacy. The key question remains: will he be remembered more as the formidable leader of the coup era, or as the president who grappled, however imperfectly, with Nigeria's economic struggles and the threat of Boko Haram?

Entering Politics, a Rifle in Hand

When he was elected president in 2015, Buhari often seemed anachronistic. He appeared out of step with his era due to a fixation on control and a reputation for rigid integrity. At the time, he was among the last of a vanishing breed in Africa, military men turned politicians. Though times had changed, he stepped onto the political scene bayonet first.

A young Muhammadu Buhari in military uniform

Born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, in northern Nigeria, Buhari was the youngest of 23 children. Very little information is available about his early education or life before military service, an omission that later fueled criticism. In 2019, a private citizen, Chukwunweike Okafor, accused Buhari of lacking the academic qualifications required to run for office and of falsely claiming the army held his certificates. Under Nigerian law, a presidential candidate must have completed secondary education.

In 1966, he took part in the coup led by Lieutenant Colonel Murtala Muhammed that overthrew Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.

What is known is that Buhari joined the Nigerian army at age 19 after studying at the military school in Kaduna. From 1962 to 1963, he trained as an officer cadet in the UK and was later appointed platoon commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta. He returned to the UK for further training from November 1963 to January 1964 before beginning his rise through the army ranks. In 1966, he took part in the coup led by Lieutenant Colonel Murtala Muhammed that overthrew Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.

Though power ultimately went to Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Muhammed would have to wait until a 1975 coup to become head of state. Upon taking power, he appointed Buhari governor of the North-East State. After Muhammad’s assassination, his successor, Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed Buhari as federal commissioner for petroleum and natural resources. During his tenure, $2.8 billion reportedly went missing from the accounts of the national oil company. Yet in 1983, now a senior military officer, Buhari staged a coup against democratically elected President Shehu Shagari, accusing the government of corruption.

Once in power, Buhari quickly earned a reputation as a tyrant. To the dismay of civil liberties advocates, he launched a “war against indiscipline,” where civil servants were flogged in public for tardiness and drug traffickers were publicly executed. His opponents recall a police state where civil liberties were suspended and dissent crushed.

He launched a “war against indiscipline,” where civil servants were flogged in public for tardiness and drug traffickers were publicly executed.

He also had famed musician Fela Kuti arrested and beaten. Despite the unresolved oil money scandal, Buhari managed to cultivate an image as an incorruptible leader. But his regime did not last long. In August 1985, General Ibrahim Babangida overthrew him.

“Baba Go Slow,” the Unshakeable Anti-Corruption President

In Nigeria, Buhari was nicknamed "Baba Go Slow" for his sluggish approach to governance. After the 2015 elections, it took him six months to form a cabinet. He was not known for speed, neither in gait nor in policy. After 20 months in power during the 1980s, Buhari stayed out of politics for years.

He reemerged in 2003 to run against former general Olusegun Obasanjo, losing the vote. He tried again in 2007 against Umaru Yar’Adua and in 2011 against Goodluck Jonathan, losing each time. When he declared his candidacy once more in 2014 at age 72, few believed he could win. Yet his anti-corruption message resonated, and he united the opposition under the All Progressives Congress (APC). He even managed to draw support from across Nigeria’s regions.

These pledges helped him win a historic election in 2015, marking the first time an incumbent party, the PDP, was ousted in Nigeria’s democratic era.

His campaign, built around his military past and moral rigor, gained traction amid corruption scandals under President Jonathan. A Muslim, Buhari also took a strong stance against Boko Haram, promising a military victory. These pledges helped him win a historic election in 2015, marking the first time an incumbent party, the PDP, was ousted in Nigeria’s democratic era.

Disappointment and Decline

Despite early hopes, Buhari’s first term fell short of expectations. His winning formula, anti-corruption rhetoric, military credibility, and strategic alliances, including naming Christian pastor Yemi Osinbajo as running mate, faltered.

His presidency was marred by health problems, forcing him to spend months in London for treatment, with Osinbajo taking over temporarily. Economically, his record was underwhelming. Unemployment rose from 8% to 18% between 2015 and 2017, while public debt increased from 13% to 21% of GDP. Nigeria needed an IMF recovery plan to manage its deficits.

On security, Boko Haram remained a persistent threat, despite military progress. Even on anti-corruption, Buhari disappointed. While some high-profile figures were prosecuted, close associates remained untouched despite serious allegations.

By 2019, Buhari’s chances of reelection were slim. Criticism mounted within his own party. The APC nearly fractured after losing three state governors and the backing of Olusegun Obasanjo.

Nevertheless, Buhari launched another campaign, facing Atiku Abubakar. Despite worsening health and growing opposition alliances, he won re-election in February 2019. His second term, however, fared no better. Beyond economic struggles, Nigeria saw brutal crackdowns during the #EndSARS protests against police violence. The government also suspended Twitter after two of Buhari’s tweets were deleted.

Despite tough rhetoric on terrorism, Boko Haram remained undefeated. The circumstances of his death, far from home in a London clinic, have been widely cited as symbolic of one of his greatest failures: a Nigerian healthcare system he was unable to reform.

Muhammadu Buhari died in a London clinic, far from a Nigeria whose healthcare system remains ill-suited to the needs of its people, one that “Baba Go Slow” failed to reform.

When Buhari left office in 2023, a viral video captured Nigerians’ widespread disappointment. Asked what they would remember most about his presidency, many simply responded, 'A bag of rice,' a reference to how the price of Nigeria’s staple food had tripled under his rule. He was succeeded in 2023 by Bola Tinubu, another veteran of Nigeria’s political landscape.

 Servan Ahougnon