Afrigather 
Eight days to the expiration of the Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in workplace, Nigerians have stated that they might roll out the drums, not in celebration of any worthy legacy, however in reward of their Maker who graciously enabled them to climate all of the storms.
The final eight years, they famous, had been harrowing. They expressed jowever, the optimism that the nation wouldn’t go such route any extra.
Our correspondents spoke with residents throughout the nation who recounted their ugly experiences within the lifetime of the expiring regime.
Graves of victims of the eight years’ maladministration of the President Muhammadu Buhari regime are littered throughout the nation. Majority of those graves comprise the bones of Nigerians slaughtered in their very own houses by invading and rampaging AK-47-bearing herdsmen.
Another graves are these of victims of kidnapping who had been killed even after ransom had been paid to safe their launch. Many forests throughout the nation are stuffed with shallow graves of those that simply “disappeared.”
There was a degree within the lifetime of the outgoing administration that folks had been killed every day; faculty youngsters, their academics kidnapped and kidnappers had been simply taking hostages on the highways and interstate journeys had been excessive danger.
Abuja was all the time within the behavior of condemning “in sturdy phrases.”
Many households misplaced their technique of livelihood. Farmers had been chased away from their farms by herders. Ladies and women had been assaulted at gun level, generally earlier than their husbands and fathers because the case could also be.
Some residents who visited the nation from their base overseas tasted the bitter tablet from the freeway vampires.
The story of that girl who was kidnapped alongside her husband and daughter continues to be recent within the reminiscence of many Nigerians.
The horror the lady went by was indescribable. Upon launch, she reportedly vowed by no means to go to Nigeria once more in her lifetime. She additionally warned that her stays at dying should not be introduced again to the nation.
Many Nigerians converse in tandem that the out-going administration negatively impacted their lives, opposite to the declare by the Presidency that every one guarantees made had been stored and fulfilled.
Nigerians, throughout the nation, say it’s only he/she that wears the shoe thst is aware of the place it pinches, not the cobbler.
For a lot of Nigerians, the final eight years could be greatest described in two phrases “frustration and hardship”.
58-year outdated Beatrice Ezennaya, a petty dealer residing in Bwari stated the Buhari administration was maybe, the worst she has skilled but. She recounted how her enterprise collapsed within the final six years, resulting from excessive working price.
“I used to be compulsorily retired in 2017; with the cash I used to be paid, I began a enterprise, provision retailer. I rented a store and stocked up the place. Within the first 12 months, it was going tremendous. However step by step, issues began going, costs of products began rising, each time you go to market, costs have gone up. On high of that, the price of working the enterprise doubled, gentle invoice and the hire spiked.
“The landlady raised the hire by 50 %, and in different areas it’s the identical. The home house owners are complaining, we’re additionally complaining. I couldn’t cope, I began promoting these provision in entrance of my home. However low patronage, and the little revenue I get I spend to purchase foodstuff and necessities. However price of dwelling is rising, fuel, gentle invoice, transportation, every part is on the excessive aspect now. It’s making dwelling actually tough,” she lamented.
She decried that Buhari, who promised to raise thousands and thousands of Nigerians out of poverty ended up pushing extra into poverty, and his promise of a extra secured Nigeria is but to be seen.
“In 2021, when my daughter was to serve in Bauchi, I needed to pay for flight ticket due to how unhealthy the street was,” she stated.
Clara Udom, a civil servant, additionally decried the excessive price of dwelling resulting from Buhari’s failure to develop the financial system.
“When Buhari was campaigning, guarantees upon guarantees had been simply falling off his mouth. Issues have gotten worse below him. I earn lower than N70,000, however transport alone takes not lower than N15,000, you then discuss of meals, hire. I needed to search for a roommate as a result of hire has risen to N120,000 from N80,000 the place I stay. Milk, rice and abnormal bread is out of attain,” she stated.
Udom additional stated: “At my former work place, I used to be incomes N35,000, that was about 4 years in the past, nevertheless it had extra worth than now. When the job I used to be doing crashed, getting a brand new job was so tough and irritating. However even, with this job I do, I promote garments to fulfill my wants.” s
A 2022 survey by Africa Polling Institute (API) has discovered that solely 8 % of Nigerians are pleased with the present state of affairs below President Muhammadu Buhari,
The results of the survey confirmed that as of January, about 78 % of the residents weren’t pleased with the nation’s state of affairs; with nearly half of that (37 %) saying they felt ‘extraordinarily unhappy’ in regards to the state of the nation.
The remaining 14 % of the residents stated they had been detached to the state of affairs within the nation.
The API report additionally stated 34 % of Nigerians famous the shortcoming to fulfill primary wants as a part of their challenges. This is probably not unconnected with the current financial realities within the nation.
About 38 % talked about heightened insecurity as the most important problem dealing with them as we speak, and about 20 % of Nigerians take into account unemployment as their greatest problem.
Different challenges the residents recognized had been electrical energy outages and lack of primary infrastructure.
API , an impartial analysis think-tank, stated the survey was performed to elicit residents’ notion and attitudes on topical points and traits masking a potpourri of social, financial, political, governance and public-life points.
The undertaking, API added, was a part of a sequence of month-to-month nationwide public opinion polls, geared toward bridging the hole in main information, by capturing public opinion and giving residents a chance to lend their voice to public coverage discourse, follow, and advocacy.
“To say the least, no authorities will probably be like Buhari’s administration by way of struggling the lots, nepotism and failure. Even throughout late Basic Sani Abacha’s regime, we nonetheless had peace of thoughts, regardless of the draconian measures then,” Chijioke Umelahi, a former Abia lawmaker, stated.
The Abuja-based lawyer is so dissatisfied with the style Muhammadu Buhari dealt with the nation, regardless of being sustained by the nation’s assets and dwelling massive on the expense of the struggling lots.
“I used to be an adolescent within the late 80s when folks had been checking in a foreign country due to hardship. At present, and whereas Buhari is in cost, it has been an exodus, I imply unimaginable quantity working away for security and from starvation. I’ve misplaced rely of my household pals, relations and associates which have left the nation within the final eight years of Buhari’s administration.
“The worst is that his persons are struggling greater than the remainder of the nation, with untold hardship, dying within the arms of bandits and Boko Haram, but a once-feared normal is in energy.
“I’m in ache. See the place the financial system is, worst alternate charge in historical past, worst unemployment, hyperinflation, worst insecurity with the variety of deaths nearing the civil conflict quantity. We won’t neglect Buhari in a rush,” he stated.
For Bamidele Apampa, a lecturer on the College of Lagos, life has been hell below Buhari’s eight years administration.
“We had been pleased with the rising middle-class, which was why international corporations had been coming to Nigeria to reap from their rising buying energy, we had a rising pool of pros and brains impacting the financial system.
“At present, now we have misplaced every part. The center-class has vanished with the nation now being regarded formally because the capital of poverty on the earth. We now have misplaced the great arms to brain-drain. I can rely over 25 colleagues which have relocated since Buhari got here to energy. Our college students are often being withdrawn by their dad and mom to personal faculties right here or abroad. The standard strike took a deadlier dimension below Buhari.
“I had a thriving enterprise centre and workplace answer agency I used to be working alongside my lecturing job, however all that collapsed through the strike.
“I borrowed cash from my youthful brother who does timber milling enterprise to maintain my household through the strike and lots of lecturers misplaced relations as a result of there was no cash to get them good therapy, a few of their youngsters had been withdrawn from personal faculties due to no cash to pay tuition charges ,” the aggrieved lecturer lamented.
Sylvanus Nwafor, a dealer, congratulated Nigerians for patiently striving to outlive the current administration, saying that Africa’s most populous nation has additional taken a backward step.
“Eight years in the past, jubilation rocked the streets of Nigeria with excessive hopes that governance would take a brand new dimension in favour of the folks. However nothing has modified for the higher; as an alternative our financial system, well being, safety, amongst different key sectors have taken a worse dimension.
“Surviving this eight-year administration is a no-small feat for anybody contemplating what now we have been by all these years. We are going to always remember what this current authorities did to us, residents, and the one factor I can say is that now we have suffered and thank God we scaled by however this mark will stay indelible in our lives,” Nwafor stated.
Joseph Ogbemudia, a medical physician, stated the Buhari-led administration didn’t stay as much as expectations, noting that no Nigerian can attest to any significant improvement carried out by the out-going administration.
“Simply think about a president going outdoors the shores of the nation he presides over to get medical therapy resembling ear and enamel in a foreign country. Who does that? What stops the federal government from revitalising its personal well being sector to take care of styles of illnesses?
“Authorities goes and comes however the persons are all the time there to make their selections. We made ours eight years in the past, believing within the mantra of ‘change’. At present, the place is the change? The place are the roles they promised? What’s the state of our naira as towards the pledge they made to steady the foreign money? How is the training sector? What’s the scenario of our safety?” Ogbemudia queried.
“We now have turn out to be a laughing inventory to international group. I actually hope the brand new administration can redeem our picture and put us on a profitable path,” he added.
Ifeyinwa Ifediegwu, an Asaba resident and businesswoman, stated: “The eight-year of Muhammadu Buhari’s reign has taught me a harrowing expertise and I thank God it’s going to be over on Could 19.
“It’s completely satisfied survival to me and my household and to all Nigerians who’re alive to see the tip of Buhari administration. Could we by no means expertise an administration resembling this once more within the historical past of our nation!”
Talking in an interview with BusinessDay, Sunday, Ifediegwu stated: “Buhari made issues extraordinarily tough for Nigerians. His ill-thought-out insurance policies birthed many Yahoo-Yahoo and Yahooplus boys, some are already useless, some imprisoned and a few are strolling corpses. They took to the crimes resulting from joblessness. The closure of boarders made issues worse for our folks and because of this, they took to crimes. It bleeds the guts what transpired these previous years.”
Ifediegwu additional stated: “Price of foodstuff skyrocketed on account of border closure and ban on a number of gadgets. Buhari stated the essence of such ban and closure was to encourage native producers amongst different issues. However he forgot that Nigerians rely upon overseas international locations by way of know-how. So that you can do business agriculture, you want fashionable farming implements and people tools are usually not produced in Nigeria. Large-time farmers discover it tough to function due to lack of kit and vital farm inputs. So, while you don’t produce, how would you might have meals safety as a nation to not discuss of exporting? So, the purpose of the ban and border closure was defeated and no sector of the financial system was spared.
“Personally, as an entrepreneur, I’ve skilled enormous setbacks in my enterprise. I used to deal on only one merchandise (Ghana Should Go luggage) and make enormous sums of cash however Buhari’s insurance policies banned such. I needed to turn out to be a normal merchandise (varieties) entrepreneur to be able to survive.
Even landlords took benefit of the ugly scenario within the improve their rents outrageously. You wrestle to pay home hire and on the identical time pay store hire, faculty charges and different payments. Thank God that I’m nonetheless in enterprise and my household survives on it. Certainly, we deserve certificates of survival for making all of it by Buhari’s harrowing eight years in workplace.
“I counsel the incoming president of Nigeria to evaluate all of the insurance policies that do not need human face, which Buhari imposed on Nigerians.”
Idi Shadrach, who lives in Yola, Adamawa State, stated that the previous eight years have been a turbulent years within the historical past of Nigeria, particularly for individuals who skilled completely different regimes from the Nineteen Nineties.
In keeping with her, “that is so as a result of life has been robust; there’s nothing that truly works for the widespread man, starting from the costs of meals gadgets, the price of transportation, training and the checklist is countless.”
He additional stated that every part about Nigeria has been virtually tough.
“Hardship has multiplied ten occasions; the insurance policies of presidency haven’t favoured the widespread man on the road,” he stated.
This authorities will go down into historical past as one authorities that has put Nigeria right into a horrible hardship.
Speaking about insurance policies that mortgaged the way forward for this nation, Shadrach talked about the extreme borrowing that didn’t meet with infrastructure or enhance the usual of dwelling of residents.
“As a matter of truth, I don’t envy anybody that can take over this authorities due to the mess that’s on floor,” he stated.
He additionally described what has occurred to Nigerians within the final eight years as rip-off.
“The scenario turned so unhealthy that you may hear folks say ‘deliver again our corruption”l.’ It sounds humorous nevertheless it’s the plain reality as a result of if below a corrupt nation I as a citizen may afford three sq. meals however below a supposedly sincere authorities it turned a conflict for me to eat as soon as a day, then one thing is improper; the place’s the justification for saying you’re combating corruption?
“The change they stored chanting is only a mere propaganda; they need to shift their duty to the widespread man. After they had been campaigning they got here as an answer however after they got here on board they pushed the duty on the widespread man and play the blame recreation on the previous authorities.
“If we occur to see one other administration like that of the previous eight years, am afraid this nation will crumble,” he stated.
Shem WoyoPwa, one other Yola resident, stated that surviving eight years of the Buhari administration was a miracle.
“It was not straightforward in any respect as a result of it was a survival of the fittest and a horrible voyage the place getting primary wants resembling meals was a critical problem. For me, that is probably the most horrible administration now we have ever witnessed as a nation
“For the previous eight years, the widespread man in Nigeria has been in essential scenario. For example, the tutorial sector particularly the colleges had been crippled, for nearly eight years they had been perpetually on strike,” he stated.
He additional stated: “The well being sector too has had its personal share being in devastating state. It’s nothing to jot down house about resulting from lack of ordinary well being amenities.
“The previous eight years recorded an avalanche of scandals of excessive degree corruption that had been jettisoned by the EFCC; in different phrases, nothing was carried out to revamp the financial system, and there have been political and social crises. It was a horrible mess that Nigerians discovered themselves.”
Victor Kuti, who lives in Ilorin, stated: “The regime of President Buhari has been hearth. It has not been straightforward for my household, my family members and me personally. I don’t even understand how my life is up until now I’m simply coping. Police embossment, you need to fake for what you aren’t simply to outlive.
“If you’re youth, you and having a hair model that’s not applicable you’re a legal. I’m an artist however I can’t be at liberty any extra, I can’t gown as actual artist that I’m, simply to mingle with others. Throughout former president Jonathan administration, though he didn’t do tremendous however I by no means complained throughout, I used to be taking good care of myself and didn’t even have trigger to ask my mama or papa for cash however this time round, I even known as my junior sister for assist; you may think about.”
Additionally, Nwite Michael Izuchukwu, submitted that, ‘Nigeria has by no means been the identical.
“I need to be honest, the federal government’s promise of change has been in adverse method. The management below Mr. Muhammadu Buhari is just not good. It’s not beneficial to me notably and I imagine another folks have comparable emotions,” he stated.
Obinna Nwagbara, government director, Youth and College students Advocates for Good Governance (YSAD), a civil society organisation (CSO), ssid that Buhari’s eight years in workplace, as President of Nigeria, can greatest be described as an period of deceit, parochialism, waste and lack of patriotism and course.
In keeping with him, “Buhari deceived most of us along with his pretend integrity posture; a no-nonsense retired military normal who got here to combat corruption, insecurity and construct the financial system.
“In his combat towards corruption, I bear in mind vividly how Buhari needed the allegation of fraudulent actions introduced towards Babachir Lawal, his ally and Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation, to die a pure dying. It took many months of Buhari maintaining quiet over the revelation that Kemi Adeosun, former Minister of Finance, didn’t take part within the obligatory Nationwide Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“Buhari sumed his combat towards corruption with the pardon he granted Joshua Dariye, former Governor of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame, former Taraba State Governor, the 2 convicted ex-governors.
“Buhari promised to repair the ability sector and in addition the refineries and in 8 years, the issues are nonetheless there. It’s not doable to deal with safety challenges within the nation with out genuinely reforming the Nigeria Police, ENDSARS offered a chance for him to reform the police, however he failed to take action.
“The mindless and cashless coverage of Buhari and Godwin Emefiele, the nation’s Central Financial institution Governor, is a pointer to how nonchalant Buhari is as a President.
“With that coverage, he additional destroyed the financial system he promised to construct. With what we handed by through the money crunch.”
He continued, “Buhari was parochial in his appointments. For a heterogeneous society like ours, it’s a no, no. Borrowing for consumption, thus leaving an enormous debt burden for the nation. It’s not as if he didn’t do something proper in any respect, however his failures will proceed to overshadow no matter factor he did properly.”
Chijioke Ogbodo, a media guide, described the eight years of Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, as a monumental catastrophe in Nigeria’s historical past of existence.
“I assumed that the regime that preceded his was corrupt, however I used to be completely improper. 2015 to 2023 redefined corruption as by no means earlier than witnessed within the nation. Nepotism was at its highest, whereas debt profile of the nation is at its highest ever,” he stated.
For Kingsley Umunna, a politician and businessman, the survival of a mean Nigerian by the PMB administration could look as an act of God however I take a look at it as an act of readjustment- from a lifetime of wasteful administration to that of prudence.
“In my private capability, the primary adjustment was to reorder my priorities by way of household consumption sample to want not need within the household consumption sample to chop waste .
“Because the financial system continued to chew, consumption sample modified from the pricey overseas items to native and cheaper items; effort was made to think about value as an element and items had been procured from areas of decrease price; an element not thought-about previously.
“A extra rational administration of family economics was employed to cut back price of family administration.
In all the cruel financial expertise through the interval below evaluate was of nice profit as a result of it helped to reset the thoughts set of many Nigerians for self employment as a way of survival. The positive aspects of unleashing the ingenuity of nigerians was marked by insecurity and corruption of officers in control of authorities empowerment programmes to assist the lots.
“Considering outdoors the field on tips on how to make a dwelling was the plank of our survival and it’s a constructive factor for our financial system as earlier than these previous few years, youths weren’t considering of farming or every other commerce aside from white collar job as a way of survival,” he stated.
Yakubu Ibrahim, a graduate-turned Keke operator, disclosed that life at a stage turned meaningless however he checked out himself and remembered that it was a combat he should combat to maintain his household going.
“I did many odd jobs to outlive; I bought second hand garments, opened Level of Gross sales (popularly generally known as PoS) store to verify there’s bread on the desk.
“When the value of second hand garments rose, I switched to Keke that am doing now, after which the value of repairing it’s one other large drawback ranging from the tyres to the elements; the levies each from federal, state, and native governments is one other drawback you may’t sweep below the carpet.
“Briefly, it’s only the grace of God that’s maintaining Nigerians; Buhari has failed Nigerians and he pretended as if nothing has occurred. The struggling the Buhari administration introduced won’t be forgotten in a rush,” Ibrahim stated.
Abdulrasheed Akintola, a enterprise man, stated he needed to regulate to the financial realities and scenario of the nation within the final eight years.
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He stated he couldn’t safe new companies to outlive, and that at a degree issues had been although he couldn’t eat three sq. meals along with his household in addition to not been capable of pay faculty charges of his youngsters.
In keeping with him, “The insecurity hampered meals safety which resulted in inflation. So, costs of issues went up astronomically and continues to go up on a regular basis. So we needed to regulate at house, by taking two meals a day or much less.”
He additionally stated that the current money crunch and cashless coverage dealt an enormous blow to Nigeria’s financial system with massive, large, and small companies counting their losses and this affected him and lots of Nigerians additionally.
On his half, Babatunde Alao, an engineer, who described the outgoing authorities as worse, attributed his household’s survival to the hindiwork of God.
“It’s throughout this authorities that many died on account of Boko Haram assaults, kidnappings, armed theft. There have been all the time guarantees from the Federal Authorities to deal with them, however nothing tangible was carried out. You’ll be able to see some committing suicide on account of the scenario within the nation,” Alao stated.
Mercy Udo, a political economist and present affairs analyst, stated regardless of the massive assets invested in agriculture, and the rise in income technology, the Muhammadu Buhari/Yemi Osinbajo administration couldn’t salvage the state of the financial system as many Nigerians had anticipated.
Udo noticed that lots of the administration’s financial insurance policies had been elite-oriented, not pro-poor financial improvement coverage.
She stated the cruel financial scenario affected her financially, stressing that price of dwelling is turning into insufferable.
“Personally, I’m dissatisfied in Muhammadu Buhari administration, identical to many different Nigerians are.
“However the hardest interval for me was the naira redesign coverage period, the place money was scarce. I’ve a good friend whose enterprise was affected.
“The information was in all places, the place folks’s companies slowed down or closed throughout these few months,” she stated.
Folarin Ogunwale, a banker, stated Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in workplace was a waste for him and the nation.
He stated the final eight years have been probably the most tough a part of his life thus far, stressing that God ought to by no means give the nation such administration once more.
“The final eight years has not been what I anticipated; I simply assume we may have carried out higher however moderately we retrogressed as a nation.
“I spent three years at house after commencement earlier than I may get one thing doing.
“I completed NYSC through the recession interval in 2016 and it was robust. I lastly obtained a job by a good friend’s help, however the wage is small.
“It was robust initially, however thank God. Price of dwelling is excessive, due to inflation; you spend a lot of the little wage on meals and transport, with little left for saving.
“I feel identical to most Nigerians; I can’t watch for Could 29 to return, so we are able to see the tip of the Buhari administration. Its been hell,” he stated.
