Abuja, Nigeria — July 15, 2025
As the late President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, is laid to rest in his ancestral hometown of Daura, Katsina State, the nation reflects on the enduring legacies of a leader whose influence reached far beyond politics and economics. Among those paying heartfelt tributes is Dr. Chike Okogwu, a respected disability rights advocate and Founder of the Centre for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment (CARE), who says Buhari’s leadership left “an irreversible mark in the consciousness of Nigeria’s disability community.”
In an emotional and intellectual reflection titled “Footprint in the Sands of Time,” Dr. Okogwu describes President Buhari as a transformational figure who helped shift the narrative around Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria—from invisibility to visibility, from pity to power.
“When President Buhari signed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act into law in January 2019, he didn’t just enact legislation — he gave hope,” Dr. Okogwu wrote. “For the first time in Nigeria’s history, the rights of PWDs were formally recognized and protected under national law. That moment shifted the trajectory of our movement.”
A Law That Made a Nation Listen
The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which Buhari signed into law early in his second term, was the culmination of nearly two decades of struggle by Nigeria’s disability movement. The Act prohibits all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities and provides for equal access to education, healthcare, public transportation, employment, and public infrastructure.
For advocates like Okogwu and the millions they represent, this Act was a turning point — not just in law, but in societal perception. It was a statement that persons with disabilities were not second-class citizens, but equal participants in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
“We may not yet be where we want to be,” said Okogwu, “but we are certainly no longer where we used to be.”
Three Faces of Power: Buhari’s Silent Revolution
In a powerful intellectual framing, Dr. Okogwu draws on the work of renowned scholar John Gaventa to explain the full impact of Buhari’s disability legacy through the concept of “three faces of power.”
- Visible Power – The Power to Make Laws:
By signing the Disability Act, President Buhari exercised visible power — changing the legal status of 30 million Nigerians with disabilities. This wasn’t symbolic. It provided a tool for advocacy, a basis for litigation, and a foundation for policy reform. - Hidden Power – Who Gets a Seat at the Table:
Under Buhari’s administration, persons with disabilities began to occupy more policy spaces. For the first time, disability inclusion units were established in ministries. A Senior Special Assistant on Disability Matters was appointed at the federal level. “It wasn’t perfect,” Okogwu notes, “but it was a powerful start.” - Invisible Power – The Power of Perception:
Perhaps most transformational was the subtle shift in public perception. Nigerians with disabilities, once seen only through a lens of pity, began to emerge as advocates, professionals, and leaders. According to Okogwu, this change in social consciousness is one of Buhari’s most profound and under-acknowledged contributions.
Beyond Policy — Toward Partnership
The tribute also charts the evolution of how the Nigerian state relates to its citizens with disabilities. “From being seen as subjects of charity, we began to be treated as citizens with dignity and a place in Nigeria’s democratic promise,” Dr. Okogwu writes.
He describes a progressive movement from “master-servant” dynamics to partnerships, with persons with disabilities now increasingly involved in dialogues on budgetary planning, program implementation, and institutional reform. Still, he acknowledges that much work remains.
“Implementation remains a challenge. Accessibility is still limited. Stigma still exists. But the foundation laid under Buhari’s leadership stands as a benchmark,” Okogwu affirms.
CARE and the Broader Movement Say “Said Baba!”
The Centre for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment (CARE), founded by Dr. Okogwu, has been at the forefront of advocacy for the economic, political, and social inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria. Alongside countless other organizations, CARE is among those now recognizing Buhari’s contribution as a critical inflection point in the nation’s path toward equality.
The phrase “Said Baba!”—an affectionate chant once used by Buhari’s loyal supporters—was revived by Okogwu in his tribute, this time as a phrase of gratitude from the disability community.
“Your actions gave millions of Nigerians with disabilities a path to dignity,” Okogwu wrote. “You have left your footprint in the sands of time. And through us, that footprint will continue to inspire.”
A Legacy Beyond the Grave
As flags fly at half-mast and the nation mourns, President Buhari’s disability legacy stands out not for its grandeur, but for its human impact. Millions now walk through doors that were once closed to them. Students with disabilities now attend school with a legal right to support. Advocates now engage government agencies with constitutional confidence. And the words “inclusion” and “accessibility” are no longer foreign in national discourse.
“In life, not all legacies are measured by the positions one held or the speeches one gave,” Okogwu wrote. “Some are measured by the lives uplifted, the structures changed, and the voices finally heard.”
As the late President Muhammadu Buhari is laid to rest, his legacy walks on — in courtrooms, classrooms, ministries, markets, and through the voices of Nigeria’s resilient disability community.
