Before You Mock Buhari’s Death, Ask How Yours Will End

B By Akeem Alao

The late former President Muhammadu Buhari was a simple man.
He died at the age of 82, “after battling an illness.” A man of few words and strong convictions, Buhari once said, “I came to this world with nothing and I shall go with nothing. Why should I steal?”

Even in death, his principles spoke loudly. His body was buried in an open space, without extravagance or an expensive casket. This reflects a man who never believed in wasteful spending. That quiet, humble resting place says everything about who he was.

This was a man loved by millions. Leaders from all walks of life gathered to give him a befitting burial. His critics became silent, and even his enemies ended their enmity—because indeed, death ends all enmity. Whatever his infractions, let them rest with him.

To those who have taken this moment to mock him, I say: accept my sympathy.

At thirty-something, you mock a man who lived to 82, served his country, and died with honor. You hide behind the banner of free speech to spread recklessness, forgetting that you, too, are mortal. You don’t know how your own life will end—or if you'll even reach his age.

You harbour grudges against a statesman whose lifestyle was, in many ways, far more disciplined and principled than that of your own parents. You think you can say anything just because you're backed by certain groups or funded from certain places. Then your underage, gullible followers join you in your campaign of condemnation.

But let me ask: what exactly is the use of insulting the dead?
You cannot reverse Allah’s decree. You cannot influence His judgment. You cannot manipulate the scales of the hereafter.

Focus instead on your own future. How your own life will end should concern you more.

I pray that Allah forgive Muhammadu Buhari and counts him among the righteous. Amin.