Faith Nyasuguta
Nigeria is mourning the passing of its former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died at the age of 82 in a London clinic on Sunday after struggling with poor health for years. In his honour, the federal government declared today, Tuesday, a public holiday to allow citizens to reflect on his legacy and pay their final respects.
In a statement, Nigeria’s Interior Minister described the holiday as “an opportunity for all Nigerians to reflect on his life, leadership, and the values he upheld.” Buhari’s death has triggered an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the political spectrum and among ordinary Nigerians.
Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, who travelled to London to be with Buhari’s family, confirmed that the late president’s body would arrive in Nigeria by noon today and be buried by 2 p.m. in his hometown of Daura, about 80 kilometres from Katsina city. He explained that the funeral was initially scheduled for Monday but was delayed due to logistical challenges in transporting the body back home.
Buhari’s home in Daura has already been filled with mourners, as friends, family, and well-wishers gather to bid farewell to a man who led Nigeria twice – once as a military ruler in the 1980s and again as an elected civilian president from 2015 to 2023.
Despite his status as a former president, Buhari will not receive a full state funeral. According to Islamic cleric Abdullahi Garangamawa, the burial will follow Islamic rites, which require that the deceased be buried as soon as possible in a simple and modest ceremony.
Tributes have poured in from political allies and rivals alike. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom Buhari defeated in the 2015 election to become Nigeria’s first opposition candidate to unseat an incumbent, praised him as “selfless in his commitment to duty” and noted that Buhari served Nigeria with “character and a deep sense of patriotism.”
Former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida, who ousted Buhari from power in 1985, also paid tribute, describing him as a man who “remained a moral compass to many” and lived a life of modesty even after leaving office.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who succeeded Buhari, declared a seven-day national mourning period. He ordered all national flags to be flown at half-mast from Sunday and is expected to attend the funeral prayer in Daura to personally pay his last respects.
As Buhari’s remains make their final journey home, Nigerians pause to remember a leader whose impact and controversies shaped the nation’s recent history.
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