Online Reporter
Today, Nigeria and the world are united in mourning the loss of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday.
As tributes pour in from global leaders and Nigerians, Africa reflects on the life and legacy of this prominent statesman.
President Bola Tinubu, in a formal announcement of the death, asked Vice President Kashim Shettima to travel to the UK to accompany President Buhari’s body to Nigeria for burial in his home town, Daura.
President Buhari is expected to be buried immediately after his body arrives in Nigeria, in accordance with Islamic principles.
Vice President Shettima, along with other officials, is currently accompanying the former President’s remains back to Nigeria.
President Tinubu has expressed condolences and emphasized the importance of honouring Islamic traditions in the burial process.
Join us as we follow this developing story and share heartfelt messages honouring a leader who served as Nigeria’s President.
A soldier’s journey
Buhari began his military career in 1961 when he enrolled in the Nigerian Military Training College, now the Nigerian Defence Academy, in Kaduna.
From 1962 to 1963, he trained as an officer cadet at the Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England. In January 1963, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and appointed Platoon Commander of the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
By 1978, he had become Military Secretary at the Army Headquarters and a member of the Supreme Military Council. Between 1979 and 1980, then holding the rank of Colonel, Buhari attended the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
His steady rise in the army saw him occupy a number of sensitive command and staff positions. These included Military Secretary; Military Governor of the North-Eastern State; Federal Commissioner for Petroleum Resources; Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation; General Officer Commanding 4th Infantry Division and later the 3rd Armoured Division.
The military coup of December 31, 1983, brought Buhari to power as Nigeria’s Head of State and Commander-in-Chief. He was 41 at the time.
His military regime is best remembered for the “War Against Indiscipline,” launched on March 20, 1984. The campaign aimed to instil civic responsibility and public morality.
However, his reign was short-lived. In August 1985, just 20 months into power, he was ousted in a palace coup led by his Chief of Army Staff, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Nearly a decade later, Buhari returned to national prominence in 1994 when General Sani Abacha appointed him Executive Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund.
Long march to Presidency
With the return of democracy in 1999, Buhari entered partisan politics. In 2003, he contested the presidency on the platform of the All Nigeria People’s Party, losing to incumbent Olusegun Obasanjo of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Undeterred, he remained politically active, contesting again in 2007 against Umaru Yar’Adua, also of the PDP. In the disputed April 2007 polls, Buhari officially polled 18 per cent of the votes against Yar’Adua’s 70 per cent. Despite rejecting the outcome, he watched as the ANPP joined Yar’Adua’s Government of National Unity, a move he strongly opposed.
In 2010, Buhari left the ANPP and co-founded the Congress for Progressive Change. The CPC, lacking deep financial or structural capacity, still made a strong showing in the 2011 elections. Buhari polled over 12 million votes — second only to PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan, who won with 22.4 million.
In 2015, Buhari finally achieved his ambition. Riding on the strength of a historic opposition merger that birthed the All Progressives Congress, he defeated Jonathan to become Nigeria’s first opposition candidate to unseat an incumbent.
Buhari was sworn in on May 29, 2015. He won re-election in 2019, extending his tenure to eight years.
During his presidency, Buhari’s administration recorded notable gains – infrastructure expansion, social investment programmes, and the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, which supported agriculture. He pushed forward major rail projects, completed roads and bridges, and signed off on long-delayed reforms in oil and gas. – punchng.com
Nigerian Presidents to date
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Current President)
President Muhammadu Buhari (29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023)
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (29 May 2010 to 29 May 2015)
President Umaru Musa Yar-Adua (29 May 2007 to 5 May 2010)
President Olusegun Obasanjo (29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007)
General Abdulsalami Abubakar (8 June 1998 to 29 May 1999)
General Sani Abacha (17 November 1993 to 8 June 1998)
Chief Ernest Shonekan (26 August 1993 to 17 November 1993)
General Ibrahim Babangida (27 August 1985 to 26 August 1993)
General Muhammadu Buhari (31 December 1983 to 27 August 1985)
President Shehu Shagari (1 October 1979 to 31 December 1983)
General Olusegun Obasanjo (13 February 1976 to 1 October 1979)
General Murtala Muhammed (29 July 1975 to 13 February 1976)
General Yakubu Gowon (1 August 1966 to 29 July 1975)
General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (16 January 1966 to 29 July 1966)
President Nnamdi Azikiwe (1 October 1963 to 16 January 1966)
President Tinubu declares seven days of mourning
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced seven days of mourning to honour former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the Nigerian President, as a mark of respect to the former leader, he has directed that all national flags fly at half-mast across the country for seven days running from Sunday.
President Tinubu added that the federal government will honour the late former leader with a state funeral.
“As a mark of respect to our former leader, I have directed that all national flags fly at half-staff across the country for seven days from today. The federal government will accord President Buhari full state honours befitting his towering contributions to our country,” said President Tinubu.
Burial postponed to Tuesday
The remains of President Buhari will no longer arrive in Nigeria today (Monday) as earlier expected, causing a shift in the scheduled burial.
In a post on his X handle Monday afternoon, Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to the late President, announced that Buhari’s body is now expected to arrive in Katsina by noon on Tuesday, with burial scheduled to take place in Daura at 2 p.m the same day.
“The body of the late President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to arrive in Katsina at 12:00 noon tomorrow, with funeral according to Islamic rites scheduled to take place in his hometown of Daura by 2:00 PM on the same day,” Ahmad said.
Informed sources in London told the newspaper that the earliest opportunity for the flight to make it to Nigeria is Tuesday, late in the morning or early afternoon. -saharareporters.com
President Buhari begins final journey back home
Nigeria’s former President Buhari will be buried today in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State.
President Buhari died in a London clinic on Sunday, 13 July, at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness.
The plane carrying the former leader’s body left the UK at about 7:48 am, spokesperson Mr Garba Shehu said.
“The body left London by 7:48 am and it is expected to arrive in Nigeria after 7 hours. The grave is being dug,” Mr Shehu told journalists in Daura.
This means that the burial, initially scheduled to be held at 2 pm today, will be delayed by about one hour.
The former President will be buried in accordance with Islamic rites in his hometown of Daura.
The ceremony is expected to draw an array of dignitaries, including fellow Presidents, former colleagues, traditional leaders and a cross-section of the Nigerian society.
President Tinubu arrives for his predecessor’s burial
President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Katsina State for the burial of his predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari.
His wife, the First Lady Remi Tinubu had arrived earlier in the state.
President Tinubu will be joined by Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina in receiving President Buhari’s remains, which are expected to arrive at the airport soon.
Many dignitaries, including foreign emissaries, state governors, ministers, political elites and traditional rulers have arrived in the state, waiting to pay their last respects to Mr Buhari.
President Buhari’s body arrives for burial
The remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari have arrived in Katsina State.
Mr Buhari’s remains arrived at the Katsina airport at about 2:07 pm, shortly after President Tinubu had touched down at the same place.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, other officials and Buhari family members accompanied the body.
President Buhari laid to rest
Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari’s remains have been buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
The janaza (Islamic funeral prayer) was conducted at approximately 4:50 pm today before President Buhari’s body was lowered into the grave in accordance with Islamic rites.
President Buhari’s body had earlier arrived in Katsina from London aboard in a Nigerian Air Force aircraft, accompanied by Vice President Kashim Shettima and other top government officials.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu attended the funeral alongside Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu. – Sahara Reporters
derick.khumalo
The fact that he had to go to London says a lot about Africa’s health facilities.