Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has died at 82, leaving behind a legacy of controversy and unmet promises. His passing in London on Sunday marked the end of a tumultuous chapter for Nigeria.

According to Breitbart, Buhari succumbed to a prolonged illness, as confirmed by the office of current President Bola Tinubu. His political journey, spanning decades, was defined by military coups, failed economic policies, and a troubling rise in sectarian violence.

Buhari first seized power in a 1983 military coup, toppling civilian leader Shehu Shagari with promises to instill discipline. His tactics were brutal, from soldiers whipping citizens in bus lines to expanding the death penalty for minor crimes like counterfeiting.

From Strongman to Civilian Leader

His early rule as a military dictator was marked by an iron fist and odd missteps, like the botched attempt to kidnap a former official from London in a shipping crate. The plan unraveled when British customs intervened, exposing a bizarre operation involving Nigerian diplomats and an Israeli doctor.

Deposed in a 1985 coup, Buhari was criticized by fellow military leaders for failing to curb corruption or stabilize the economy. After years of political wilderness, he returned in 2015 as the first opposition candidate to win a fair election in Nigeria’s history.

Yet, his presidency disappointed many who saw him as a reformer. Dubbed “Baba Go Slow” for delaying key appointments during an economic crisis, Buhari oversaw Nigeria’s plunge into recession, with even rice prices doubling under his watch.

Economic Woes and Broken Promises

Buhari campaigned as a corruption fighter, a mantle he carried since his 1983 coup. But graft persisted, and his economic policies became a symbol of failure, leaving ordinary Nigerians struggling to afford basic staples.

His administration’s inability to deliver on pledges was starkly evident. While he vowed to make essentials like rice affordable, the reality was a bitter contrast, eroding public trust in his leadership.

Lagos-based writer Olive Chiemerie told the Associated Press, “He inherited unprecedented goodwill and squandered it.” Such wasted potential stings when a nation’s hope for renewal is dashed by inaction and poor choices.

Violence and Sectarian Strife Surge

Perhaps most damning was Buhari’s failure to curb violence, especially against Christians, during his tenure. Despite promises to defeat Boko Haram, the Islamist group grew bolder, with factions aligning with the Islamic State.

Clashes between farmers and Fulani herders escalated, as did banditry in the northwest, with hundreds of schoolchildren abducted. Christian leaders, like Bishop Matthew Ishaya Audu of Lafia, accused Buhari of downplaying religious motives, noting, “They want to strike Christians, and the government does nothing to stop them.”

Minimizing these attacks as mere banditry rather than targeted persecution was a grave misstep. It’s hard to ignore the pattern when faith becomes a fault line, and leadership looks the other way.

A Legacy of Missed Chances

Other dark moments defined his rule, like the 2015 Zaria Massacre, where hundreds of Shiite Muslims were killed by the army. Then, in 2020, his response to the EndSARS protests against police brutality saw troops fire on civilians, killing dozens after he labeled demonstrators a threat to security.

Buhari’s defenders point to his personal honesty amid Nigeria’s corrupt landscape, as the BBC noted in its eulogy. Yet, honesty alone can’t heal a nation fractured by violence, inequality, and unfulfilled reforms.

His death closes a polarizing era, but the questions linger for Nigeria. Will future leaders learn from this history of squandered trust, or will the cycle of disappointment grind on?