Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari failed in his two attempts to transform Nigeria, according to The Economist.
Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari failed in his two attempts to transform Nigeria, according to The Economist. Initially a military ruler in 1983, Buhari imposed strict discipline, jailed nearly 500 elites for corruption, and resisted IMF demands. However, economic hardship and repression led to his 1985 ouster. Decades later, he returned as a “born-again democrat,” winning the 2015 election after three failed attempts. Despite his austere lifestyle—declaring just $150,000—his administration was marred by slow governance and economic missteps. Nicknamed “Baba Go Slow,” he delayed cabinet formation and watched graft trials stall. “Technically defeated” Boko Haram still attacked civilians, and inflation soared due to import bans. His wife, Aisha, was told she belonged in “my kitchen, my living room and the other room” after criticizing appointments. Ultimately, The Economist concluded, “as hard as he tried to mould his countrymen in his image, Nigeria… could never be tamed.”