A stream of political heavyweights on Wednesday visited the graveside of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura to pay their final respects and condole with his family.
Among the early visitors were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s military ruler from 1983 to 1985 and returned as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, passed away on Sunday in a London clinic at the age of 82.
His remains were flown back to Nigeria on Tuesday and received by Vice-President Kashim Shettima and Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, at the Katsina Airport.
President Tinubu personally received the casket before it was conveyed to Daura, Buhari’s hometown, where he was buried the same day with full military honours.
Buhari’s final resting place was poignantly selected — a spot in the garden of his compound where he was known to sit often during his lifetime.
Military pallbearers wheeled his coffin, draped in the Nigerian flag, to the graveside on a trolley, as gun salutes rang out in honour of the former commander-in-chief.
The burial ceremony attracted a high-profile crowd of dignitaries, including serving and former governors, traditional rulers, lawmakers, diplomats, political associates, and thousands of ordinary Nigerians who braved the heat to bid the late statesman farewell.
Buhari’s death marks the end of an era for a man whose influence spanned decades and whose leadership shaped Nigeria’s recent political trajectory.
The sombre atmosphere in Daura underscored the deep emotions surrounding his passing, as Nigerians from across the political divide united in mourning a man regarded by many as a symbol of discipline, simplicity, and patriotism.
More condolence visits are expected in the days ahead as Nigeria continues to reflect on Buhari’s legacy and his impact on the nation’s history.
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