Collapse Of The Buhari Myth:
Katsina Burn Down “The Faces Of Justice And Champion Of The Masses".


On Tuesday 9th June 2020, the people of Yantumaki in Katsina state came out to protest the failure of the state in securing their lives and properties. During the protest, they attacked and set on fire a billboard of President Buhari that boldly proclaimed him and Aminu Masari the governor of Katsina state as the faces of the just and champions of the masses (Huskokin adalci da son jama'a). The people blame Buhari and his government for their predicament. That singular act speaks very loud of the community's lack of confidence on President Buhari’s government and his inability to fulfill his pledge of protecting them. This open demonstration against Buhari from his home state, indication of the fall of Muhammadu Buhari, the man of integrity.


President Muhammed Buhari has been a man held in high esteem and beloved by most northerners, but not more than people of his home state Katsina, who consider him theirs. The myth of Buhari claims he was an upright and sincere man, full of integrity and genuine concern and love for the masses. It was on the strength of the popularity of that myth that informed the decision to urge Muhammadu Buhari to contest for Presidency: the myth claimed too that he was (until 2015) the best President is yet to have. He would fight corruption, the myth claimed, and will stand and fight for the interest of the masses.


The myth gains more acceptance prior to 2015 elections due to the failures of Goodluck Jonathan's government inability security people's lives and properties, particularly in the North East. Buhari defeated Goodluck Jonathan in an election that was unprecedented: never had an incumbent President defeated in an election before in Nigeria's history.
Buhari rode on the wings of a popular myth to ascend power, but then Truth begins to expose him. His government happen to be not any different from those before him. Some political pundits think Buhari’s government is worse in comparison; the people of Yantumaki Katsina state confirmed this to be true.


Buhari has always been a hero in Katsina, and the people of the state have always supported him in all his presidential ambitions, giving him massive votes all through. In the North, until recent, no one insults or disrespect Buhari, his myths makes him a god figure so sacred that criticism of his person is not entertained or tolerated. His followers and admirers believed he can do no wrong and that Buhari loves the masses, he is incorruptible, and should he be trusted with power. They are convinced that if the is given power, the common man will be redeemed and protected again. Hence, when he first declared his interest to run as the President of Nigerian in 2003 against incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo, he defeated Obasanjo in Katsina winning 76% of votes cast in the state.


In 2007, Buhari again ran against another Katsina man for the office of the President of Nigeria, the then outgoing governor of the state, Umaru Musa Yar'adua. Katsina supported Buhari who was considered a just man, better than Yar'adua, but Buhari lost the general election to Yar'adua and even lost in Katsina too, Buhari admirers rejected the result and alleged that it was rigged in favour of Yar'adua. Never again would Katsina fail Buhari.


In 2011, Buhari once again declared interest in running for the Presidency. At that time he had decamped from ANPP to the newly established CPC, his followers and admirers migrated with him and massively voted for him. Although he lost the general election to Goodluck Jonathan, he won Katsina State with 70% of total votes cast, 1,163,919 votes were counted in Buhari's favour. In 2015 he came out again for the fourth time to contest for the Presidency against Goodluck Jonathan, he garnered more than 70% of votes cast in Katsina and historically proceeded to defeat President Goodluck Jonathan in one of the free and fairest elections in Nigeria history.


Katsina state has never disappointed Muhammadu Buhari, especially when he was living the myth outside the corridors of power. But power began to crack the shell that made him sacrosanct, in his first tenure as President of Nigeria, Buhari failed in solving the problem of insecurity. In fact, insecurity worsens under his watch. It spread from the North East to the North Central and North West, consuming Katsina on the way. Under Buhari, there emerged the savagery and devastation of killer bandits and cattle rustlers. Even at that, in 2019, the people of Katsina still voted for Buhari.
During the campaigns, a campaign Billboard of Buhari and Osinbajo was advertised as Huskokin Adalci Da Son Jama'a, translates as The Models of Justice and Lovers of the masses, or The Faces of the just and Champions of the masses. It was this poster that the Katsina state residents of Yantumaki burn.


Nigerians from the South and the Middle Belt had been the ones critical of Buhari's government, and have demonstrated and protested against his failures – with the exception of the Zakzakky IMN Shia protests. The far northern states have been patient, and Katsina, the home state of the President was the first to expressed dissatisfaction with the President, yesterdays protest being the second protest from the state recently. They came out on the street and protested against the sustain state of insecurity in their communities which are plagued by invasions by bandits who sacked villages, killed people and rustle their battles. The burn the billboard that announced that Buhari and Osinbajo as Faces of the Just and Champions of the Masses.


How can a President who controls the apparatus of force (the military, the police and other paramilitary outfits) failed in securing the country from criminals: terrorists, bandits, killer cattle wrestlers and herdsmen; how can the President and government claimed to be lovers and champions of the masses. That can’t be true, Katsina people don’t believe that. Such claim insults sensibility, so the set the Billboard on fire. Burning Buhari's myth and exposing him as a man not worthy of leadership.


Muhammadu Buhari rode to power on the wings of a myth that he was a man of integrity, who is just and love the masses of Nigeria; and as a capable leader who will solve Nigeria’s problem particularly corruption and insecurity. But power exposed the wings of the myth to the heat of responsibility, melting the glue that binds the feather together sending the President on a nose dive descent. Katsina state confirmed the fall of Buhari, he is the hero who has lost his reverence. He has failed in securing the lives and properties of Nigerians.

Buhari b like he don happen,he don happen oooo.
My people has betrayed me,what did I do?ehn.

He had it coming a long time ago. At some point his family will even become a pariah. Nobody messes with history.

Garba shehu go soon tell us..sey na protest wey happen during jona time.