The Buhari principle, fools and their paradise

Anyone who believes in the hereafter would consider the world and its fascinations as worthless. It is now crystal clear to all, including his ardent critics who previously doubted the claims and the facts that not only illegal, but acquiring wealth generally, was not and never in the character of the late President Muhammadu Buhari. […]

Anyone who believes in the hereafter would consider the world and its fascinations as worthless. It is now crystal clear to all, including his ardent critics who previously doubted the claims and the facts that not only illegal, but acquiring wealth generally, was not and never in the character of the late President Muhammadu Buhari. There was never any evidence of him exhibiting tendencies of amassing wealth when he was a Military Head of State at a much younger age of 42. More so when he became the Executive President at more than 70 years.

Certainly, as human, he must have his shortcomings, but if he had his likes with similar disposition as aides, Nigeria would had transformed to an excellent country which many others would consider as a model. Unfortunately, almost all of those we had as leaders before and now, despite being his contemporaries, are still preoccupied with amassing wealth, at the expense of the welfare of the people they govern.

If our leaders are sensible, they will not continue deceiving themselves that the accumulated dirt will not be left behind at the expiration of their very little tenure in this world. Like it or not, all are vanity and will be left behind. We must come to terms with the reality, that the world is a paradise, only for the fools. That was what late Buhari rightly believed.

Sometimes in 2003, a design was made by Pinconsult Associates and submitted for approval by its Chief Executive, late Engr. Tunde Pinheiro, a former Commissioner in Lagos State. It was for a development of a plot in the Central Area District. After the approval, he requested to be linked with the owner of the adjoining plot, in which a 6-floor structure was already erected, that his client was interested in acquiring it. I did. Fortunately, the adjoining plot owner was amenable to the negotiation and the transaction was successful.

The new owner subsequently made a request for the approval to remove the existing 6-floor structure. Even the cost of the removal was highly staggering, yet it was professionally demolished and rebuilt by Julius Berger, with Pinconsult as the Consulting Firm.

I was highly marveled at the extent of wealth of this client, my curiosity made me to make inquiry, and I learnt a lot. One of which was that there was a time that he was awarded a contract by the federal government during the late Abacha regime, but after delivery he was not paid. His empire was almost collapsing, but someone advised him to seek intervention from the PTF at the time late General Buhari was the Chairman.

Buhari never knew him before, yet he simply approved his submission and his contract was fully paid after verification. When the General was presented with the type of appreciation being made by businessmen for this type of service, he vehemently rejected, with a very stern warning. He made it clear that, that was not in his character. There is more to this in our subsequent episodes.

Almost all prominent persons and national figures ensure that they have place of abode in Abuja. But, to my knowledge despite my capacity as the substantive Chief City Manager throughout his tenure, and to the knowledge of those I knew among his close aides and associates, the late President never had a house in Abuja. However, we can never stop mischief makers from baseless speculations, as previously peddled on the Buhari Foundation land. Also, the only house he had in his home town of Daura is the one he was buried in.

That was where he retired to, after his service as Military Head of State, and also where he retired to after his two terms tenure as the Executive President of Nigeria. It is not the type of mansion we witness in the home towns of the others. The PTF he served as the Chairman offered to renovate and modernise the structure from its present simple bungalow, but he vehemently refused. Even the settees  were changed, when he returned to Daura, by one of his aides to leather ones against his wish, he preferred his old settees no matter how they were.

He refused to allow any addition from the original structure of his Kaduna house when it was recently renovated. He lived there for only three weeks. It was after persuasion by one of his aides that he allowed the addition of a visitors’ toilet before his journey. He never saw that addition, because he never returned.   Even his foes knew and acknowledged his modest character, devoid of ostentatious life style.

He was buried alone and will account for his deeds alone. The same way all the past leaders gone before him and those that will surely and unavoidably follow him.

May his gentle soul be admitted in Jannatil Firdaus.