……………….Tinubu, Niger, Guinea-Bissau leaders, Govs, others attend funeral
……………..Atiku, Osinbajo, others pay tribute
BY TEDDY NWANUNOBI AND MATHEW SUNDAY TAGGAH, KADUNA
Daura, Katsina State, was in a mourning mood on Tuesday as it witnessed a significant gathering of dignitaries.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, led a team of mourners, including the President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, and Niger Republic’s Prime Minister, Ali Lamine Zeine, among many others to pay their last respects to the late former Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, who was buried in the ancient city.
Several other Nigerian leaders, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar and Yemi Osinbajo, as well as over 20 state governors across the six geopolitical zones of the country, senators, members of the House of Representatives, serving and former ministers, and many others were also in attendance.
Buhari died on Sunday at a London hospital at the age of 82, following weeks of illness. His body was flown back on Tuesday, accompanied by Vice President Shettima and the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Activities across the country were crippled on Tuesday following the declaration of a public holiday by the Federal Government to honour the late President and allow Nigerians to participate in or observe the state burial proceedings.
It was the same in Daura, as residents thronged to pay their last respects to their leader, whom they fondly referred to and addressed as “Sai Gaskiya.”
A joint team of military pallbearers, comprising nine senior officers, laid the casket, draped with the Nigerian flag, on a trolley. The team included Major General Mohammed Usman, Major General Oluwafemi Williams, Major General Shuaibu Nuhu, Rear Admiral Suleiman Dahun, Rear Admiral Jonathan Ajodo, Rear Admiral Samuel Ngatuwa, Air Vice Marshal Adeniyi Herbert Amesinlola, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sanni, and Air Vice Marshal Obinna Obiabaka. The team was coordinated by Major General Mike Alechenu.
The late former President’s body, draped in the national colours of green, white, and green, was received by the military top brass, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa, who also read the biography and poured encomiums on his leadership style.
This was followed by a military parade and full honours for the fallen hero, who was also a former military Head of State of Nigeria between 1983 and 1985.
In his tribute, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described Buhari as “one of Nigeria’s towering sons” and a leader who bore the weight of national service with unwavering determination.
It will be recalled that the late former President defeated Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election.
Atiku, in a statement he signed, said the former President’s passing “has cast a long shadow across the land, stirring reflections on legacy, sacrifice, and the fleeting nature of power.”
“It is an honour to be present in Daura, to stand shoulder to shoulder with his family, his kinsmen, and the Nigerian people as we commit him to Mother Earth,” he wrote.
Reflecting on their political rivalry, Atiku noted that while he and Buhari often stood on “opposite shores of the political river,” death reminds all that what ultimately endures is shared humanity.
“In his own way, he bore the burden of leadership with unwavering will and served the country he so dearly loved with a sense of purpose shaped by his convictions.
“May the Almighty forgive his shortcomings, accept his return, and grant him Aljannah Firdaus,” Atiku stated.
The former Vice President called on Nigerians to reflect on the deeper meaning of leadership and legacy.
“Let this moment also remind us all, leaders and citizens alike, that the true measure of life is not in the length of our days, but in the depth of our service and the footprints we leave on the sands of time.
“Farewell, President Buhari. May the soil of Daura rest gently upon you,” he wrote.
Buhari, who was born in Daura in present-day Katsina State, Northwest Nigeria, ruled Nigeria as military Head of State between 1983 and 1985. He later won election as civilian president in 2015 and was re-elected for a second term in 2019.