The late former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was reportedly uneasy with politics but persevered for Nigeria’s sake.
Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and former Minister of Environment under Buhari, made this striking revelation during a recent interview on Channels Television July 16, 2025.
Buhari’s Reluctance With Politics
Mohammed, who served in Buhari’s cabinet from 2015 to 2016, described how the former president was never truly comfortable with political life.
Despite his discomfort, however, Buhari carried on, driven by the call to serve the nation.
“He wasn’t always comfortable with politics,” she said, “but what he did was try and try and try again.”
This candid admission paints Buhari as a reluctant leader who bore the weight of statehood grudgingly but with determination.
Behind the Scenes: Buhari’s Influence on UN Appointment
Mohammed offered an intimate glimpse into Buhari’s personality when she revealed how he advised her about a major career decision.
She was reluctant to accept the UN Deputy Secretary-General role, fearing leaving her service to Nigeria.
During a climate meeting in Marrakesh, Mohammed recounted her discussions with Buhari.
Initially, Buhari expressed a desire to keep her within Nigeria’s service, hinting that the country needed its best minds locally.
Yet when Mohammed received an official call from the UN, Buhari changed his tone.
“He talked to me for a long time about service,” she said.
“And at the end, he said, ‘But of course, the decision is yours.’ But for me, in our culture, when a man of that status speaks to you, you understand he wants what is best.”
Mohammed concluded that Buhari’s influence convinced her to accept the international role a decision made “with a lot of confidence” born out of respect for his vision.
From Military Strongman to Reluctant Democrat
Mohammed highlighted Buhari’s complex transition from army general to Nigerian democratic leader.
She described him as an “officer and a gentleman” who “dropped his uniform and embraced democracy.”
Yet politics was never his natural comfort zone.
Rather than retreat, Buhari persisted within a political arena he found uneasy.
“He believed in the rule of law even if it was imperfect, he would keep trying until he got to where he needed to get to.”
This perseverance amidst discomfort challenges the popular narratives of Buhari as merely a rigid military man.
Revealing a man willing to adapt and serve despite personal misgivings.
Buhari’s Legacy: A Mixed Record Awaiting Judgment
Mohammed’s remarks imply Buhari’s leadership was defined by sacrifice and dedication.
However, questions linger over how effective and transformative his presidency truly was.
The late president’s tenure faced sharp criticism over security crises, economic challenges, and governance issues.
Corruption accusations haunted his administration even as his defenders praised his anti-graft stance.
Does Buhari’s personal discomfort with politics excuse the administration’s shortcomings?
Or does it reveal a deeper failure of leadership at challenging moments?
The Unspoken Burden of Leadership
Behind the public persona lay a leader burdened yet steadfast.
Buhari’s insistence on service over ambition is an uncommon narrative among prominent African politicians known for power-hungry displays.
Amina Mohammed account urges Nigerians to rethink Buhari not simply as a powerful ruler, but as a reluctant steward who sought national good despite personal unease.
Persistence or Passivity
Some may interpret Buhari’s persistence as commendable.
Others could argue it masked passivity.
Was the former president’s discomfort a reason for the sluggish pace on reforms?
Did it excuse missed opportunities to address mounting national problems decisively?
Amina Mohammed sympathetic portrayal collides with fierce public dissatisfaction by Nigerians who suffered under Boko Haram, economic strife, and political gridlock.
Lessons for Nigeria’s Political Future
Buhari’s story serves as a sobering lesson on the human cost of political leadership.
His discomfort with politics did not deter him, but neither did it translate into the transformative leadership many hoped for.
Future Nigerian leaders would do well to learn from Buhari’s resilience while avoiding unproductive discomfort that excuses inaction.
Leadership demands courage, conviction, and clarity. Reluctance, if left unchecked, becomes an alibi for poor governance.
Dignity in Defeat and Death
As Nigerians buried Buhari on Tuesday in Daura after his passing on Sunday in London, a complex legacy was sealed.
Amina Mohammed’s testimony adds depth to public memory capturing a man who returned to his roots with a sense of service, even if politics remained alien to him.
“He kept trying for Nigeria,” she said.
Ultimately, that imperfect effort forms part of Buhari’s enduring, controversial legacy.
A Leader to Pity or Praise
Buhari’s political discomfort humanizes him but also invites critique.
His repeated attempts at serving showed grit.
However, critics will ask whether that grit led to meaningful change or just endured dysfunction.
As Nigeria reflects, the nation must decide if Buhari’s legacy is that of a self-sacrificing patriot or a leader out of step with the demands of modern governance.
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