In Daura, beneath the same sky that saw him come of age, Nigeria bid farewell to one of its greatest sons: President Muhammadu Buhari. His passing at 82 on July 13, 2025, closed a chapter not only in politics but in the story of a man who led with unwavering integrity and an unshakeable sense of purpose.
To the world, he was a statesman, a two-term President, and a military General. But to those who knew him deeply, he was simply Baba.
More than a name, Baba was an enduring presence: a guiding anchor, a model of discipline and humility. He spoke little, yet his deeds and values spoke loudly. He led not for applause, but for commitment to principle and country.
Buhari’s belief in Nigeria was resolute.
He believed in integrity over influence, justice over convenience, and sacrifice over spectacle. His administration took bold steps against corruption, insecurity, and the scourge of terrorism. Yet he never lost sight of the simple truths he held dear: prayer at dawn, hands in the earth on his farm, and the affection of family and community.
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In the soft embrace of home, he was at peace, worshipping, farming, living the values he carried into leadership. That quiet life shaped a man of sincerity, depth, and humility.
His final journey home on July 15 was marked by rare national unity. President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the Nigerian Government conducted his funeral with solemnity and reverence, from the military honours and 21‑gun salute to the dignified Islamic burial under the vast expanse of Daura’s sky.
At the Federal Executive Council, President Tinubu spoke of Buhari’s “quiet courage…moral compass never wavered”, highlighting the dignity with which he carried himself, even after office. He crowned him “The People’s General,” “Farmer President,” and “Mai Gaskiya” a testament to a life lived on rock‑solid values.
President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima led a galaxy of Nigeria’s elite, including former Presidents, to Daura, Katsina State, on Tuesday to pay their final respects to former President Muhammadu Buhari. The burial ceremony, conducted according to Islamic rites, attracted international dignitaries, including President Umaru Sissoci Embaló of Guinea-Bissau, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Niger, Ali Zeine, and former President of Niger, Issoufou Mahamadou.
Federal Government officials in attendance included Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political and Other Matters, Ibrahim Masari; Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Isiaq Salako; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku ] Bagudu; Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari and Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, the Minister of Steel.
Governors from multiple states were also present, including Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni; Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf; Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani; Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule; Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya; Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi; Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu; and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
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Former governors in attendance included Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Ali Modu Sheriff (Borno), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), and Yahaya Bello (Kogi). Private sector leaders Aliko Dangote, Sayyu Dantata, and Dahiru Mangal joined the other dignitaries, while traditional rulers, including the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman; the Emir of Daura, Umar Faruq; and the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, were also present.
The magnitude of attendance was a moving tribute: global dignitaries, regional leaders, traditional rulers, and citizens all paying their respects not just to a former leader, but to a man of genuine devotion, modesty, and conviction .
Resting now in the soil he loved, Baba’s legacy lives on not in monuments or titles, but in the integrity he embodied.
He was a leader who held his head high without fanfare, loved deeply without extravagance, and served tirelessly without selfishness.
Baba belonged to us all, but his roots never left the land.
From the quiet corners of Daura to the corridors of power, his journey came full circle.
He returned home to the earth, to peace, to his people.
May Allah grant his soul eternal rest.
May the family he cherished be comforted by the nation’s profound respect.
May Nigeria remember not only his presidency, but the man Baba who lived, loved, and led with unwavering conviction and quiet dignity.
