Nigerian Leaders, Do Good While In Position Of Power: Stop Praising The Dead -By Isaac Asabor

“I have come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” — William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

That timeless quote by William Shakespeare may have been written in the context of ancient Roman politics, but it remains hauntingly relevant in today’s Nigeria. It serves as a sharp reminder that leadership is not about posthumous praise, but about impact while alive. Sadly, in Nigeria, many leaders ignore this truth. They serve with impunity, arrogance, and greed, yet are hailed as saints the moment they die.

The issue is not death itself, but the deceptive praise that follows. As a society, we have normalized turning funerals into platforms for rewriting history. Men who oppressed the people, who diverted public funds, who left hospitals in shambles and classrooms in ruin, once they die, are draped in flowery rhetoric. The truth is buried along with their corpses, and the living are left with lies.

This must stop. Nigerian leaders must wake up to the reality that their legacy will not be shaped by the tributes read at their burial, but by the lives they touched, or ruined, while in office.

In today’s Nigeria, death sanitizes even the filthiest legacies. Public figures who spent their time in power looting the treasury, owing workers, weaponizing poverty, and enriching themselves at the expense of the poor are now routinely praised as heroes upon death. From governors to senators, from local chieftains to ministers, the narrative changes the moment they draw their last breath.

The hypocrisy is jarring. How can a man who ruled with an iron fist suddenly become “a man of peace” after death? How does one who looted public funds become “a generous philanthropist”? Is it because Nigerians are afraid to speak ill of the dead, or because we have lost our moral compass?

The reality is clear: praise at death is not proof of a good life. Instead of investing energy into posthumous glorification, Nigerian leaders should use their time in power to do genuine good that needs no false praise later.

The widespread culture of false praise is not only dishonest, it is dangerous. When bad leaders are celebrated in death, it sends a loud message to the younger generation that character does not matter. It teaches future leaders that they can act with impunity and still be eulogized like heroes.

This culture erases the pain of victims. What comfort does it bring to pensioners who died in hunger because their entitlements were withheld? What solace is there for jobless youths when the man who stole their future is described as “a visionary”? How do the sick feel when the architect of a failed healthcare system is buried with national honors?

We cannot keep living a lie. Nigerian leaders must know that what matters is how they use power, not how many flowers are placed on their coffin.

Every Nigerian leader must ask themselves a simple but sobering question: *What will my record say about me when I am no more?* Not the tributes. Not the PR-driven obituaries. Not the sermon from a hired cleric. But the actual impact of their leadership.

Leadership is not a birthright. It is a temporary stewardship with eternal consequences. Nigerian leaders must stop ruling as if power is permanent. Whether at the local or national level, whether in civilian clothes or uniform, every office holder will one day give account, not just to man, but to God.

As the Bible clearly states in Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment.” That judgment is not based on media narratives or eulogies. It is based on truth.

Nigerian leaders must stop chasing awards and fake popularity. They should focus on doing good while in power. That means: Pay salaries and pensions promptly. Fund and equip hospitals. Provide clean water and electricity. Invest in quality education. Create jobs and economic opportunities. Punish corruption without bias. Uphold the rule of law. Serve the people with empathy and humility.

These are not lofty ideals, they are basic responsibilities. But in Nigeria, they have become rare achievements. The bar is so low that when a politician simply does his job, we act as though he has performed a miracle.

The truth is, if Nigerian leaders did what they were elected to do, there would be no need for elaborate posthumous praise. Their works would speak louder than any funeral sermon.

This culture of praising the dead is sustained not just by political elites, but also by religious leaders, journalists, and everyday citizens.

Religious leaders must stop turning funerals into glorification ceremonies. The pulpit is not a PR platform. It is a place of truth. Telling lies about a man who lived wickedly is not only unchristian, it is a betrayal of the faith. The gospel demands consistency: Repentance, righteousness, and judgment. Anything less is compromise.

Journalists must stop the whitewashing. Journalism is not public relations. It is a profession of truth-telling. Report the facts of a leader’s legacy, good or bad. Respectfully, yes. But truthfully, always.

Nigerians must also stop romanticizing dead leaders. Hold them accountable while they are alive. Stop waiting until death to express outrage or demand justice. Democracy thrives when citizens are active, informed, and courageous, not sentimental.

There is only one way Nigerian leaders can escape the shame of false legacies: “Do good while in power”. Let your integrity, your decisions, and your compassion speak for you. You do not need a grand funeral to be remembered, you need a life of honest service.

A leader who builds hospitals does not need them renamed after him. A governor who educates children does not need a monument in his honor. His legacy is in the lives he changed, not in marble and gold.

Let Nigerian leaders understand this truth: “History remembers, and heaven records”. Titles fade, wealth perishes, praise dies, but your deeds remain.

Nigerian leaders must stop banking on posthumous praise to redeem rotten legacies. Shakespeare’s words ring true: “The evil that men do lives after them.” What you do in power follows you, both here and beyond. Not your obituary, not your convoy, not the number of wreaths.

Let Nigeria rise above this culture of false praise. Let us value truth over sentiment, accountability over appearance, and legacy over funeral ceremonies.

To every leader: You still have time. Lead with your conscience. Serve with purpose. Govern with compassion. Because when the curtain falls, and death knocks, no amount of flattery will change the record you left behind.

Do good while in power. That is the only praise that counts.