By Sunny A. David, Awka
Prominent Human Rights Lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has criticized the outpouring of tributes following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, calling it a display of “political hypocrisy” by Nigeria’s ruling elites.
In a strongly worded statement titled “Wednesday Musing: ‘Saint Buhari’ Nigeria’s Newest Economic Martyr?”, Ejiofor said many of those now eulogizing Buhari were the same individuals who had harshly criticized his administration while he was alive.
“In a cruel twist of irony, those who once condemned Buhari’s eight-year rule as rudderless and disastrous are now praising him as a visionary,” Ejiofor wrote.
He questioned whether the sudden shift in tone stemmed from a sincere reassessment of Buhari’s legacy or was simply a reflection of the worsening economic and political situation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Some have described him as ‘transparent’ and ‘economically astute.’ But where were these qualities when his administration mismanaged fuel subsidies, introduced incoherent foreign exchange policies, closed borders arbitrarily, and constantly blamed the opposition for its failures?” Ejiofor asked.
According to the lawyer, the tributes offered at Buhari’s burial reveal more about the country’s current despair than about the former president’s leadership. He argued that the economic hardship and insecurity under Tinubu’s government have made many Nigerians look back at Buhari’s era with unexpected nostalgia.
“Buhari didn’t govern well but the present administration is so deeply unpopular that he now appears saintly by comparison,” Ejiofor stated. “His infamous parting words ‘Nigerians will beg for my return’ once mocked, now carry an eerie weight.”
Ejiofor maintained that Buhari’s burial was marked with solemnity not because of genuine reverence, but due to a nation overwhelmed by economic hardship, poverty, and disillusionment.
“The irony is stark: Buhari is being remembered as a hero not for what he achieved, but because Nigerians now face a darker reality,” he concluded.
“It’s a troubling reminder that in Nigeria, even failed leaders can be recast as saints in the face of deeper national decline,” he said.
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