Adieu, Mai Gaskiya -By Chiechefulam Ikebuiro

I grew up in Lagos, but my schooling took me far from home. I attended Government College Umuahia as a boarder, which meant frequent, long journeys between Lagos and Umuahia. Those trips became something of an education in themselves.

Every time I was on the road, I would see a new construction site. Bulldozers at work, men at work, and fresh signage. And always, the PTF logo was there, marking these projects. It felt like every journey revealed a new piece of Nigeria being built. Even as a boy, I was deeply impressed.

I was naturally curious. Who was behind this PTF? That was how I first learned about General Muhammadu Buhari. Even at that young age, I became a fan. It wasn’t about politics yet. It was simply respect for someone making a visible, positive difference in people’s lives. That impression stuck.

It is no surprise that when he entered partisan politics, I followed. I supported him throughout his political journey. I saw in him the same seriousness of purpose that I associated with those PTF projects of my childhood.

He eventually became President after three attempts. Now, this is not a defense of every policy or decision he made or did not make in office. Performance in government is a notoriously subjective thing. Nigerians hold deeply polarized views about him. Some are unrelenting critics. Others, like me, see the effort behind the struggle. The truth is, his tenure coincided with a particularly tough stretch in our history.

He took over at a terrible time, globally and locally. We had two recessions, both triggered by factors beyond his control, including an oil-price crash and a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that paralyzed the world, with no one (read leader) emerging unscathed. Yet in those circumstances, he did his best. In fact, I would argue he did more with less.

He carried that same PTF mentality into his presidency. He still had an eye for legacy-defining infrastructure. Whatever else people say, Nigeria under Buhari saw a surge in road rehabilitation, new highway corridors, and the revival of the railways. We saw the completion or steady progress of projects long abandoned. Abuja-Kaduna rail. Lagos-Ibadan rail. Itakpe- Warri rail. Second Niger Bridge. Major expressways. He focused on tangible, brick and mortar change that would outlive him. That, to me, was the same logic that powered the old PTF.

On 13th July, 2025, we lost him. The news hit me hard. President Buhari was an astute man. He was a contented man, a rare quality in a country where excess often passes for success. He was principled, with a reputation for integrity even his harshest critics found hard to fully tarnish.

He was a great leader. A patriot to the core. A statesman who believed in the hope of the poor. He was, by most accounts, frugal, even simplistic in his personal tastes. He commanded respect, not through noise but through a certain stoic dignity.

One can debate his policies, but you cannot argue with the passion he had for Nigeria. Nor can you deny the size and intensity of his support base. Millions of ordinary Nigerians saw in him an honest man in an often dishonest system.

He was Mai Gaskiya, the honest one. And for all his human failings, that title captured something real.

Rest on, the People’s General. You came, you saw, you conquered in your way. History will judge you rightly.

For those of us who saw you first through the lens of the PTF and followed your long journey, today is a day of mourning ……… and gratitude.

Adieu, General Muhammadu Buhari

Chiechefulam Ikebuiro

chiechefulamikebuiro@gmail.com