Buhari\’s Farewell: Nigerian President Passes Home in Family Compound
Buhari’s Final Journey: A Nigerian Landmark Absence
On Sunday in London, former Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari passed away at 82. His funeral at his Katsina‑state compound drew a procession of elected heads and a mountain of security.
Who Lined the Grave?
- Nigerian President Bola Tinubu
- Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man
- Guinea‑Bissau’s president and Niger’s prime minister
- Former Niger president Mahamadou Issoufou
Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine of Niger arrived after his country’s diplomatic ties with Nigeria weakened following a 2023 coup in Niamey.
Saints of the Scene
- A rotating military band sang his farewell as a green‑and‑white flag floated above his body.
- Soldiers saluted while mourners, garbed in vivid kaftans, bowed.
- Spots above the courtyard harbored young men who stood on trees to witness the rites.
The Locked‑out Relatives
Security walls shut out family members.
Fatima Isah, Buhari’s 78‑year‑old niece, lamented, “Buhari was my provider, but he no longer exists. They barred my entry.”
A civil servant, Muttaqa Mahmud Bebeji, traveled 150 km from Kano to stand beside the sea of mourners, calling Buhari “irreplaceable.”
Grave Reflections
Despite criticisms, Daura’s home welcomed Buhari’s return.
Nasiru Abdullahi, a 35‑year‑old tyre mechanic, told AFP: “Buhari was an upright man who did his best for Nigeria. He was human and prone to shortcomings.”
What Buhari Left Behind
In 2015, Buhari became Nigeria’s first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent.
Yet his two terms (2015‑2023) saw violence persist and economic troubles deepen.
He was praised for personal austerity—a rarity amid Nigeria’s cash‑soaked politics.
Mourners remembered him for honesty, while critics noted squandered opportunities, corruption, and inequality.
