Buhari and the Betrayal of the Tallaka: From hope to hollow applause, a myth unmasked, by Bukar Mohammed
In solidarity with Hassan Gimba’s piercing reflection, let it be said plainly: Muhammadu Buhari, once revered as the Mai Gaskiya, the symbol of integrity and the beacon of the Talakawa (the masses), has now morphed into a figure that inspires more pity than pride. The tragedy is not just personal; it is national. His degeneration from a stern, no-nonsense general to a former president grinning in agbada, spraying dollars while musicians serenade him, is not just a shift in optics, it is a complete betrayal of ethos.
For over a decade, Nigerians bore the brunt of bad governance, all the while defending Buhari’s image with near-religious fervour. They were told, “Sai Baba! Sai Buhari!” that he would right the wrongs, drain the swamp of corruption, restore security, and protect the dignity of the poor. But after eight years in power, what we received was more misery, mass burial grounds in Zamfara and Benue, spiralling inflation, emboldened terrorists, and a battered currency that left the tallaka more impoverished than ever before.
The galling irony? Buhari now lectures governors about prioritising the people’s welfare. One is left asking: where was this wisdom when bandits overran communities, when young graduates joined japa queues, or when trillions disappeared under the watchful eyes of his appointees? Was it while he sat in Aso Rock, unmoved, offering condolences and silence as answers?
READ ALSO: General Buhari as an Enigma, by Hassan Gimba
When Nigerians say “Allah Ya sa ka gama lafiya,” it is now with clenched teeth and broken hearts. How does one wish peace upon a man whose presidency left millions in pieces? How does one forgive a man who never apologised for fuel queues, unpaid salaries, or the untold psychological torture of citizens waking up daily to bloodshed and hopelessness?
It is not enough to claim simplicity or repeat tales of modest assets. Buhari was not elected to be poor or rich; he was entrusted with the power to transform Nigeria. But what did he leave behind? The very masses who marched barefoot to vote for him, who saw in him the spirit of Murtala and the discipline of Idiagbon, now see a shadow of a leader, parading from social visit to political gossip, like a monarch without a conscience.
Buhari’s image was once synonymous with austerity and rectitude. Today, it is reduced to performative nostalgia, smiles in Kaduna gardens, surrounded by men who are more concerned with power games than national healing. And those who were buried in shallow graves during his reign? They have no votes. They have no voice. But their blood stains the legacy of the man they once believed in.
The Tallaka did not just lose faith. They lost futures. Buhari had just one job; to protect the trust reposed in him by millions who had nothing but hope. Instead, he turned their devotion into dust.
Now, as the political elite flock to Kaduna to curry favour, let history record this: Buhari was not overthrown. He was not sabotaged. He failed on his own terms. And no amount of musical praise or dollar rain can wash away the stench of disappointment.
READ ALSO: How did Buhari swing it? By Hassan Gimba
Let no one be fooled by the regalia. This is not the triumphant exit of a statesman. It is the awkward dance of a general who abandoned his troops. The Tallaka deserved better. Nigeria deserved better. And Buhari should not be allowed to rewrite the ending of a story soaked in silence, sorrow, and betrayal.
In firm alignment with Hassan Gimba’s bold piece, it’s time we confront the uncomfortable truth about former President Muhammadu Buhari, not in whispers, but in clarity and candour. For far too long, we were sold an illusion packaged in khaki and stoic silence. We hailed him as the messiah of the Tallaka (the poor), but today, we wake to the bitter realisation: Buhari was no liberator. He was the final nail in the coffin of hope for millions of ordinary Nigerians.
Buhari ought to wake up and find himself without reverence or relevance in the same society he helped ruin. But alas, the psychophancy of the average Arewa politician and elite keeps him afloat, propped up like a relic of forgotten glory. They troop to his residence in Kaduna, not in protest but in praise, as if standing next to him might redeem their own reputations. As if proximity to a failed leader can give birth to future success.
Let them not be deceived. Buhari’s famed “twelve million votes” are a political ghost story. No politician should be foolish enough to believe that the popularity of Buhari in 2015 can help them win even the hearts of their own wives in 2025. Nigerians have moved on. Ido ya bude yanzu! The Tallaka has opened his eyes and seen the truth, we were scammed.
Even though I do not subscribe to the autocratic, ethnocentric, and elite-pleasing governance of President Tinubu, I will not pretend that Buhari was better. Politicians today must realise that populism without performance is a dead currency. You want support? Present merit. Show capacity. Earn it. The time of blind loyalty is gone.
Let us not forget, if Buhari ever truly loved the Tallakawa, we would have seen it in the choices he made, not in the speeches he read. Yet, not one of his children was ever married into the common class whose votes paved his way to power. His alliances were strategic, not sincere. His interest in the poor was only useful for political arithmetic, not genuine empathy.
He ascended to the highest seat in the land with promises to free the masses. But what did he liberate them from? Jobs? Peace? Hope? All that’s left now is a trail of broken dreams, forgotten villages, and a nation on its knees.
So, let it be known: Buhari is no longer the general of the masses, he is a cautionary tale, a political mirage that once shimmered with promise but vanished at the touch of reality.
We will no longer romanticise failure. We are no longer beguiled by northern nostalgia. What we want now is merit, character, and courage. Present that, and the people will stand with you. But bring us another Buhari, and we will meet you at the ballot with a vengeance kawai.
By Bukar Mohammed (A betrayed TALLAKA).
Bukar Mohammed is a governance, political and public affairs analyst in Kano.
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