(OPINION) How will Buhari, Tinubu names appear in Nigeria’s history

By Kehinde Aderemi

May 29 is just about 19 days away. Nigerians are waiting anxiously because they know quite well that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will vacate the office and a new administration will come to power on that day.

It was not unexpected; tha is the tradition. It happened in 2015 when former president Goodluck Jonathan left office.

I remembered in 2015 when the electioneering was at its peak. The popular saying then was “sai Buhari, sai baba”.

It was thunderous then as Nigerians expected that President Buhari’s administration would offer them the best in terms of leadership, and would alleviate the pain the country went through during the Jonathan years.

But we were wrong. Eight years down the line, it is no doubt that things have changed both in time and in perception.

Trust Nigerians, not everybody is interested in repeating the sai Buhari, sai baba’s mantra.

Many were disappointed that the change the ruling party promised under Buhari’s administration was not the kind of change seen in the in the last eight years.

Eight years in the life of a nation is no joke. And Nigeria would hardly forget the Buhari years.

Many that fought tooth and nail to defend the policies of President Buhari’s administration were also disappointed by what actually transpired between 2015 and 2023.

In truth, the reason for this piece is not to assess the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

That would definitely be a story for another day.

However, I believe strongly that whether we like it or not, president Buhari had done his best. His best might not even the best for Nigerians.

The outgoing president had, last week, ‘apologized’ to Nigerians.

He sought forgiveness from whatever ‘sins’ he had committed in the last eight years as president of Nigeria.

He had also told us that he was retiring to Daura to concentrate on his farm. God is all-forgiving.

Whether the president apologized or not, it doesn’t change anything.

However, we must learn great lessons of life from this that nothing is permanent in life.

Everything in life is transient.Not even power, wealth, opportunities. Nothing lasts forever.

When Buhari’s administration was about to be inaugurated in 2015, it seemed like the government will rule Nigeria for eternity.

Today, his administration has just 21 days to vacate the oval position of the presidency.

And surely, by May 29, his name, like that of his predecessors will go down in history as a former president of this country.

Yes, what is really in a name?

The Yoruba will say “Oruko rere san ju Wura ati Fadaka lo”. A good name is worth more than the gold and the silver. A good name is even better than all the riches of this world.

In the last 63 years of our national life, there are people whose names attract good memories.

Those names have also remained indelible in our memories.

There are some people whose names would remain in perpetual ignominy.

These are names of people that could hardly be remembered for anything good.

For instance, we can remember the names of our founding fathers like the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Ahmadu Bello, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe that contributed greatly to the progress of this nation.

We cannot forget the names of the late Murtala Muhammed, the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the late MKO Abiola, the late Umar Musa Yar’Adua and a few others that had, at one time or the other, played significant role in determining the fate of this nation.

We can hardly forget the names of General Yakubu Gowon, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, and the Minna General that annulled the June 12 general elections, an election that was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria.

The names of General Abdul Salam Abubabakar, the Ota farmer and former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, president Goodluck Jonathan, and president Buhari would continue to linger in our memories.

There were also some people like the Nigerian Head of State and maximum ruler, the late Sanni Abacha.

Unfortunately, many of our leaders rode to power without an idea of what it takes to rule.

Many of our leaders are like the ‘accidental public servants’, like the title of the book authored by the Kaduna state governor, Nasir  El-Rufai.

In the heat of the campaign for the All Progressives Congress primary election, the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu fought the fight of his life and claimed that it was his turn to be the president of this great nation. The Emilokan title was a reflection of his struggle to fight the establishment who seemed not to support his ambition.

The rest is now history as he got the APC ticket against all odds, contested and eventually won the Presidential election that made him the president- elect.

The election is over, preparations for the incoming administration is in top gear.

But let me quickly remind the president elect that his success as the president of Nigeria will determine how his name will be remembered in Nigeria’s history.

Tinubu must have learned his lesson that leadership is all about solving problems that seem unsolvable.

It is about leading others and setting direction when and where necessary. It is all about making difficult decision in the interest of the followers.

A leader risks his name and everything within his power to get things done, especially during difficult moment.

And in all, he takes the glory and the blame for every decision he made with his followers.

Finally, for the incoming president  Asiwaju BolaTinubu, history beckons and his name is already in the book of history.

It now depends on him to write his name in gold alongside others that have left Nigeria better than they met it.

.Kehinde Aderemi writes from Lagos