Former Senator Shehu Sani has appealed to Nigerians to stop insulting late President Muhammadu Buhari following the announcement of his death on Sunday in London.
The call for restraint comes as heated debates erupt nationwide over Buhari’s legacy.
Buhari, who died in a London hospital after years of recurring health issues, served as Nigeria’s military ruler from 1983 to 1985 and later as a two-term civilian president from 2015 to 2023.
His death has sparked a wide range of reactions some mournful, others angry.
Shehu Sani took to social media to express concern over the disrespectful tone of many public reactions. In his post, the former senator wrote:
“We are all mortals awaiting an uncertain fate at uncertain times and uncertain places. A living man is still on trial and cannot judge the dead. Let the sleeping soul rest.”
His comments reflect a strong cultural norm in Nigeria and across Africa one that frowns upon speaking ill of the dead, regardless of past political grievances.
However, not everyone agrees with the call for silence.
Activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was among those who criticized Buhari sharply.
In his statement, Sowore described the late president’s leadership as destructive to Nigeria’s democracy.
“Buhari left behind a terrible legacy. His rule, both in uniform and civilian garb, brought repression, economic hardship, insecurity, and religious bigotry. He left deep scars on Nigeria’s democratic fabric.”
Buhari’s supporters, however, maintain he served Nigeria with integrity and patriotism, especially in his anti-corruption campaigns.
But many ordinary Nigerians say they are still battling the effects of his policies from food inflation to insecurity and economic decline.
As the nation prepares to bury its former leader, Shehu Sani’s words aim to cool tensions and promote reflection over hostility.
“A society that mocks its dead will not heal its wounds,” one supporter of Sani posted in agreement.