By Chief Femi Fani-Kayode
“How are the mighty fallen in the midst of battle….how are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished!”- 2 Samuel 1:25-27.
With yesterday’s tragic passing, it is clear that the last of the three great Mahdis and most formidable warriors and messianic leaders of Northern Nigeria has finally fallen.
The first was Sheik Usman Dan Fodio, who founded and established the Sokoto Caliphate, the second was Sir Ahmadu Bello, who was the erstwhile Premier of the old Northern Region and the Sardauna of Sokoto and the third was General Muhammadu Buhari, who was the immediate past President of Nigeria and the man that was commonly referred to by the Northern masses as ‘Mai Gaskiya’.
All three were revered by their people and were regarded as not just pious and righteous men but also deeply courageous souls who would do anything in defence of their faith and who risked all in their fight against injustice and evil.
Yet Buhari managed to achieve what the others could not: he became the indisputable leader of not just the North but also of the whole of Nigeria and he did it THREE times!
His role in the affairs of our nation transcended politics and veered into the spiritual.
In the North, he was not seen as a mere political leader but more as a religion, and his following was indescribable, unprecedented, and massive.
He was a rare phenomenon and an intriguing enigma: a remarkable man and inspirational leader whose destiny was intrinsically intertwined with Nigeria’s.
He managed to achieve what no other Nigerian leader has managed to achieve in our entire history: the unflinching, unconditional, unquestioning, and literally fanatical adulation and love of the whole of the core North and the support of many in the South.
He was indeed the first amongst equals and, love him or hate him, his legacy and commitment to the service of our nation have left an indelible mark.
The question on everyone’s mind is who can possibly take up his mantle of Northern leadership today and who can fill into his gargantuan shoes?
Whatever the answer to those questions is, one thing is clear: the North and indeed Nigeria shall NEVER be the same without him.
May the soul of this great, noble, and proud warrior and patriotic son of Nigeria rest in peace, and may God grant his family the fortitude to bear this loss.
