Temitayo Olumofe
On a humid Tuesday afternoon in Daura, the streets were lined with people, some dressed in flowing white robes, others clutching umbrellas against the bright northern sun. They had come from all corners of Nigeria to say farewell to a man who, for decades, stood at the very heart of the national narrative.
Muhammadu Buhari, former President of Nigeria and a name synonymous with discipline and controversy, was laid to rest in his hometown on July 15, 2025, just two days after his passing in a London clinic at the age of 82.
It is not easy to describe how a nation of over 220 million souls grieves. For most, grief is tangled with memories: some recall hope and pride, others voice disappointment or even anger. And yet, in the hushed silence that fell over Daura and the streets of Lagos, Kano, and countless smaller towns, the country paused, if only briefly, to mourn a complicated man.
The news broke on Sunday, July 13, 2025. It was brusque, carried in short official statements shared by Buhari’s family and former aides: Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari had died in the London Clinic, after a prolonged, undisclosed illness. His spokesperson said, “The family of the former president has announced the passing of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London”.
President Bola Tinubu declared a national mourning period of seven days, ordering flags flown at half-mast and sending senior officials to London to receive Buhari’s remains.
For many Nigerians, the announcement was like reliving an old chapter. Buhari had often travelled to London for medical care during his presidency, fuelling speculation, rumour, and debate over his health and leadership. But this time, the rumour was real and final.
“I feel emptiness, yes, but also a kind of relief,” said Zainab Lawal, a secondary school teacher in Kaduna. “The man tried for this country, and it was not easy. But, to be honest, we all wanted more. We expected more”.
The decision was made quickly: Buhari would be laid to rest according to Islamic rites, in his family home in Daura, Katsina State, on Tuesday, July 15, at 2 p.m. The funeral was attended by an extraordinary gathering of leaders—President Tinubu, the President of Guinea-Bissau, the Prime Minister of Niger, and an array of dignitaries from all walks of Nigerian life.
His body arrived at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua International Airport at noon, transported by Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila. Governor Dikko Radda was among the first to publicly announce details:
“We’ve made consultations with the people around him in London, and we concluded that the body will arrive in Katsina tomorrow (Tuesday) at about noon, and the burial is going to take place in Daura at about 2 p.m… We pray to Almighty Allah to grant his soul peace and may Allah grant him Aljanna Firdausi,” he told reporters, flanked by Buhari’s nephews and close associates.
At 4 p.m., Imam Hassan Yusuf led funeral prayers at the Daura Helipad, surrounded by an ocean of mourners. In the crowd were not just family and politicians but ordinary traders, children, and farmers, many of whom had made long journeys to witness the end of an era.
“General Buhari was not only a soldier and statesman but also a symbol of integrity and principled leadership. He was resolute in his belief in a unified, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria,” said Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum.
The sense of occasion was not lost. As the 21-gun salute rang out, and the chants of “Sai Baba” echoed in the air, it was clear that for his supporters Buhari was more than just a man, but a symbol of what the North could produce and what Nigeria might someday become.
For every mourner in Daura, there were others across the country whose memories were more complicated. Buhari’s years in power inspired hope and pride for some, but for others, they conjured up anger, bitterness, and memories of hardship.
Mixed Feelings and Bitter Reflections
Senator Shehu Sani, a prominent northern voice, did not mince words, observing: “The present and future crop of Nigerian leaders should take lessons from the wave of unrefined emotions of Nigerians in the last 48 hours; a new generation of retributive citizens have evolved: unrestrained in their anger, unfiltered in their bitterness, and unforgiving in their souls”.
The criticism went beyond politics. One northern woman, whose video was widely shared, said, “I heard Buhari is dead… I swear to Almighty Allah, for me, I didn’t feel anything about his demise… There was no kind of hardship that I didn’t pass through. My entire life, since the beginning of his administration to date, has not returned to normal. When he became president, his children became successful… and we, the children of nobody… were the most affected ones. For me, I cannot and will not forgive Buhari”.
Social media platforms and news channels were filled with stories of ordinary Nigerians for whom Buhari’s promises of security and prosperity remained unfulfilled. “At first we thought his civilian regime would display some element of his military background,” said Chijioke, a Lagos resident. “But… we realize he has become so slow in making decisions, and insecurity skyrocketed. We never expected a military man not to be able to handle security issues to some extent and eventually… The economy suffered”.
Despite the criticisms, many in the North remembered a leader of rare discipline. The Northern Elders Forum released a statement calling him “a towering figure in Nigeria’s political and historical landscape,” saying, “His tenure in office and his public life embodied his values of discipline, accountability, and national pride”.
But the grief in the North was not universal. Deep wounds from past events, such as the 2015 Zaria massacre under Buhari’s government, resurfaced.
Journalist Saifullahi M. Kabir posted online: “Fatima Ali Munjibir, Nusaiba Yakubu Zurmi, Nusaiba Shafiu Kazaure, Fatima Isa Waziri, and Khadija Ibrahim Dasuqi… were killed by General Buhari in 2015 in Zaria”. Such memories will keep the debate about Buhari’s legacy open for years to come.
As the burial ended and attention shifted from ritual to reality, a new question was on everyone’s lips: With Buhari gone, what becomes of Nigeria’s fragile political landscape, especially in the North?
Buhari’s passing has created a huge vacuum in Nigeria’s leadership and policy space, observed Hon. Sam Onuigbo, a former legislator and member of the North East Development Commission. He recalled that, “The signing of the Climate Change Act remains one of the late President’s enduring legacies.
It was a visionary step that ensured Nigeria joined the League of Nations with a comprehensive framework for addressing climate change”. Yet, as Onuigbo and many others pointed out, the vacuum Buhari left is not just about policy, but personality and power.
Buhari’s charisma, described frequently as “cult-like,” united millions. His support base, known as the “CPC bloc” within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), now faces a crossroads. Without Buhari’s magnetism, the unity of his allies is under strain.
For years, Buhari’s charisma acted as the anchor that kept his political base united. Now, with the late president’s death, that anchor is gone, and party insiders suggest old rivalries and new ambitions may rise to the surface.”
Bolaji Abdullahi of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) declared: “Most of the Buhari loyalists are already with us. The majority of them, the entire North, with our party. And the passing of the former President will only cement that because that was his wish when he was alive”.
Political analysts warn of a new, more fractured northern bloc: “We are likely to witness a move towards a more multipolar configuration. Power and influence in the North will now be more fragmented due to the diversity of sub-regional and ethnic actors rather than being centered around a single dominant figure,” explained commentator Kakanda.
As the first shovelful of earth fell on Buhari’s grave and Nigeria’s attention shifted back to its daily grind, the final assessment of his impact remained unsettled. There were tears on the streets of Daura, and in cities, many remembered past hopes. But there were also sighs of relief, as citizens weighed the end of an era defined by strong promises and mixed results.
“General Buhari was a statesman of rare character… His public life embodied his values of discipline, accountability, and national pride,” stated the Northern Elders Forum.
But for some, as the voices online make clear, forgiveness or genuine gratitude remains elusive. Nigeria is left to reflect, debate, and perhaps one day move forward, wiser from its journey with Buhari.
The void left by his passing extends beyond politics. For the North, he was a son of the soil; for the nation, a complicated patriot; for history, both a builder and a cautionary tale. As 2027 approaches and the struggle for new leadership begins, Nigerians continue to reflect on the hope he represented, the disappointments endured, and the legacy yet to be defined.