Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former President Goodluck Jonathan are among prominent Nigerian and international dignitaries expected to attend the public presentation of a three-volume authorised biography documenting the life, military career, political journey and presidency of late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The biography, titled Muhammadu Buhari: The Authorised Biography, is scheduled for public presentation on Thursday, November 19, 2026, in Abuja.
Former President Jonathan will serve as the chief presenter, while President Tinubu is expected to attend as the guest of honour. Former President of Niger Republic, Mahamadou Issoufou, will chair the occasion.
The Chairman of the Book Presentation Planning Committee and former Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Suleiman Adamu, disclosed the arrangements on Wednesday, November 11, during a press conference in Abuja.
Adamu said the publication was designed to preserve an important part of Nigeria’s political history by documenting Buhari’s more than five decades in public service, including his military career, political struggles and eight-year administration between 2015 and 2023.
The biography was authorised by Buhari during his lifetime and written by Dr Udu Yakubu, following extensive research, interviews and examination of historical documents.
Three Volumes to Examine Different Stages of Buhari’s Life
The biography is divided into three volumes, each focusing on a distinct period or aspect of Buhari’s life and political career.
According to the planning committee, the books are titled Buhari: The Phenomenon, Buhari: The Presidency and Buhari: The Reckoning.
The first volume, Buhari: The Phenomenon, examines his background, childhood, military training, participation in the Nigerian Civil War, military career and emergence as a prominent figure in the country’s political history.
It also documents his period as a military governor, his tenure as military Head of State between 1983 and 1985, subsequent detention and eventual return to democratic politics.
The volume further explores his repeated presidential election campaigns and political journey, which culminated in his historic victory in the 2015 presidential election.
Buhari’s emergence as president in 2015 marked a significant moment in Nigeria’s democratic history, as he became the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent president in a national election.
The second volume, Buhari: The Presidency, focuses on his eight years in office between 2015 and 2023.
It examines the policies, decisions, institutions, personalities and circumstances that shaped his administration.
The volume also addresses the challenges, controversies, achievements claimed by the government and public expectations associated with his presidency.
The third volume, Buhari: The Reckoning, provides a thematic assessment of his leadership and historical legacy.
It examines major areas of governance, including the economy, security, infrastructure, foreign affairs, anti-corruption efforts, institutional reforms, social policies and national development.
Together, the three publications seek to provide a broader account of Buhari’s life beyond his years as Nigeria’s democratically elected president.
Buhari Personally Authorised the Biography
Speaking during the press conference, Adamu explained that the biography was authorised by Buhari himself before his death.
He said the research involved extensive interviews with people who knew the former president at different stages of his life, including individuals who worked with him and participated in institutions and events connected to his public career.
Official records, speeches, published materials, personal recollections and other documentary sources were also incorporated into the research.
The planning committee chairman said the publication was intended to contribute to the preservation of Nigeria’s national history and provide future generations with material for understanding the country’s political development.
He stressed that the presentation was not intended to serve as a political rally or a gathering limited to Buhari’s political associates.
Rather, the organisers want the occasion to attract participants from different political, regional, professional and institutional backgrounds.
Adamu explained that Buhari’s public life extended across several important periods in Nigeria’s history, making his biography relevant to understanding the country’s military and democratic experiences.
He noted that Buhari occupied different positions throughout his career, including military officer, military commander, military governor, federal commissioner, military Head of State, opposition leader and elected president.
His experiences, according to the committee chairman, reflected several stages of Nigeria’s political evolution.
Author Says Biography Seeks to Preserve Nigeria’s Historical Record
The author, Dr Udu Yakubu, described the publication as an important effort to preserve historical records and document the experiences of people who influenced Nigeria’s political development.
Yakubu explained that the project involved more than two years of sustained research, interviews, writing, editing, fact-checking and revision.
He said Buhari’s public life was closely connected to Nigeria’s history, spanning military rule, democratic transitions, political opposition and presidential administration.
According to the author, different generations experienced different aspects of Buhari’s public career.
For some Nigerians, Buhari was primarily known as a military officer and former Head of State. Others associated him with his lengthy opposition politics before his eventual election as president in 2015.
For millions of younger Nigerians, his most familiar political identity was that of the civilian president who governed the country between 2015 and 2023.
Yakubu explained that bringing these different experiences together was one of the major challenges of producing the biography.
He also emphasised that the third volume was not designed to condemn or vindicate the late president.
Instead, it seeks to examine his decisions, policies, achievements, shortcomings and consequences through historical evidence and different accounts.
The author maintained that authorisation by Buhari did not mean that the biographer surrendered his independence or judgement.
He explained that the former president’s participation helped researchers gain access to personal accounts, interviews and documentary materials, but the responsibility for examining the evidence remained with the author.
This distinction is important in historical biography, particularly when documenting the life of a political leader whose decisions continue to attract different interpretations.
Former Leaders to Feature Through Forewords
The three-volume publication will also feature forewords written by prominent former African and Nigerian leaders.
They include former Niger Republic President Mahamadou Issoufou, former Nigerian military Head of State General Yakubu Gowon and former military Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Their contributions add historical and political perspectives to a publication examining Buhari’s role in Nigeria and the wider African political environment.
Issoufou is also expected to chair the November 19 presentation, while Gowon and Abubakar are among the prominent figures whose reflections will accompany the biography.
The participation of former leaders from different political and military backgrounds reflects the organisers’ intention to give the presentation a broader historical and national character.
Other expected participants include members of Buhari’s family, former government officials, military representatives, politicians, academics, diplomats, private-sector representatives, civil society organisations and journalists.
Buhari’s Presidency and Its Place in Nigeria’s History
Muhammadu Buhari served as Nigeria’s president from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023.
His administration operated under the All Progressives Congress (APC), which came to power following the 2015 general election.
Before becoming president, Buhari had served as Nigeria’s military Head of State between December 1983 and August 1985.
His return to democratic politics involved several unsuccessful presidential campaigns before his eventual electoral victory in 2015.
His eight-year civilian administration addressed several major national issues, including insecurity, corruption, economic management, infrastructure development and social welfare.
However, his presidency also attracted criticism and debate over the handling of the economy, security challenges, human rights concerns, national cohesion and the effectiveness of government policies.
These different perspectives form part of the historical questions the new biography is expected to examine.
By documenting both the political achievements claimed by his supporters and the criticisms raised by opponents, the publication seeks to contribute to a wider understanding of his leadership.
The third volume is particularly significant because it moves beyond a chronological account of Buhari’s life to examine the consequences of decisions taken during his years in public office.
Organisers Encourage Universities and Libraries to Acquire Copies
The planning committee has called on universities, public libraries, research institutions, military and security establishments, government agencies and diplomatic missions to acquire copies of the three-volume publication.
Adamu said making the books available to academic and research institutions would help preserve important historical information for students, researchers and future generations.
He encouraged Nigerians to approach the biography with open minds rather than predetermined political conclusions about Buhari’s leadership.
The committee believes the publication could provide useful material for research into Nigeria’s political institutions, military history, democratic development and public administration.
Historical documentation remains an important part of national development because it allows future generations to examine the decisions, policies and experiences that shaped their country’s past.
The preservation of interviews, official records and personal accounts is also important because some historical information may become difficult to recover when key participants die or original documents disappear.
Why the Biography Matters to Nigeria
The publication comes at a time when questions surrounding leadership, governance, democratic accountability and institutional development remain central to Nigeria’s national conversation.
Buhari’s political career covered several decades and included experiences under both military and civilian administrations.
His biography therefore provides an opportunity to examine the relationship between Nigeria’s military history and its contemporary democratic institutions.
It also offers researchers an opportunity to study how political leadership, public expectations and government decisions influence national development.
For younger Nigerians who did not directly experience Buhari’s earlier military career or his years in opposition politics, the publication could provide historical context for understanding his emergence as president.
Beyond Buhari’s individual legacy, the project raises a broader question about how Nigeria documents the lives of its political leaders and preserves the experiences of people who shaped important national events.
A country that fails to preserve its historical records risks allowing important events to disappear from public memory or become dominated by incomplete and politically influenced accounts.
The biography’s value will ultimately depend on the quality of its research, the reliability of its documentation and how independently readers and historians can examine its conclusions.
What Happens Next?
The formal public presentation of Muhammadu Buhari: The Authorised Biography is scheduled for November 19, 2026, in Abuja.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to serve as the chief presenter, President Bola Tinubu as the guest of honour, while former Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou will chair the occasion.
The event is expected to attract prominent figures from Nigeria’s political, military, academic, diplomatic and business communities.
Following the presentation, the organisers hope the three volumes will become available to universities, libraries, research institutions and members of the public.
The publication is expected to contribute to continuing discussions about Buhari’s leadership, his administration’s record and his place in Nigeria’s contemporary history.
Ultimately, the three-volume biography will provide another opportunity for Nigerians to examine the life of a former president whose political journey spanned military rule, democratic opposition and eight years in elected office.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
- Voice of Nigeria – Report on the forthcoming three-volume biography and its presentation.
- Premium Times – Report on the biography’s research, authorship and contents.
- Vanguard – Report on Jonathan’s role as chief presenter and Tinubu’s expected attendance.
- THISDAY – Report on the November 19 presentation and the biography’s historical focus.
- The Abuja Inquirer – Report on the biography’s research and the participation of prominent dignitaries.
