THE soil of Daura soaked up more than just rainfall on Tuesday evening; it absorbed the tears of a nation bidding farewell to one of its most consequential leaders, former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The 82-year-old retired general and two-time Nigerian head of state was buried in the courtyard of his private residence in Daura at exactly 5:50 p.m., in accordance with Islamic rites and full military honours.
The solemn event was marked by a blend of religious prayers, military salutes, and subdued emotion as Nigeria laid to rest a man whose name had become both revered and debated across the political spectrum.
The body of the late president, wrapped in the green-white-green flag of Nigeria, was peeled to the islamic white likaf and then lowered into the earth before a grieving crowd that included family members, political allies and notable dignitaries from across the country.
A canopy of grief hovered over the dusty streets of Daura, an agrarian town in Katsina State’s heartland and the birthplace of the man known to millions by his sobriquet “Mai Gaskiya” – Hausa for “the Honest One.”
Leading the high-profile delegation that gathered to honour Buhari were his widow, Aisha Buhari; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Kashim Shettima; former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; and former presidential rival Atiku Abubakar.
Also in attendance were business magnate Aliko Dangote, governors past and present, federal lawmakers, ministers, and a host of traditional and religious leaders.
President Tinubu had earlier received Buhari’s body at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Airport in Katsina after it arrived aboard a Nigerian Air Force jet from London, where the former leader passed away at The London Hospital on Sunday, July 13, following a prolonged illness.
Born on December 17, 1942, Muhammadu Buhari first governed Nigeria as a military ruler between January 1984 and August 1985, following a military coup.
Decades later, he made history by becoming the first Nigerian to defeat an incumbent president at the polls, returning to office as a civilian in 2015 and serving until 2023.
His combined years as military and civilian head of state make him one of the longest-serving leaders in Nigeria’s post-independence history totaling nearly a decade.
During his lifetime, Buhari was known for his austere lifestyle, his anti-corruption campaign, and his War Against Indiscipline initiative.
Supporters admired his unflinching stance against graft and his attempts at instilling order in public life.
While Nigerians remain split on Buhari’s legacy, Tuesday’s funeral reflected a rare moment of unity.
The Federal Government declared a national public holiday and a seven-day mourning period.
Flags were flown at half-mast nationwide and at Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad in honour of the deceased statesman.
“Buhari’s chapter has closed, but his place in our history is forever sealed,” said a government official in attendance.
Garba Shehu, his longtime spokesman, confirmed earlier that Buhari had requested a private burial in his family compound rather than a national monument or cemetery, a testament to the man’s lifelong reputation for personal modesty, even in power.
For many in the crowd especially residents of Daura, Buhari was not just a national figure but a neighbour, a kinsman, and a symbol of pride for the town.
Farmers, students, traders, and traditional leaders alike gathered to pay final respects to a man whose journey from a dusty military barracks in the 1960s ended in the pinnacle of Nigerian power.
As the last shovelful of earth was laid on the grave, prayers were said, heads bowed, and a nation reflected.
Whether praised or criticized, Muhammadu Buhari will be remembered as a man who left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s modern political history.
“We pray Almighty Allah to grant him Aljannah Firdausi,” said a cleric during the final prayer, as the sun slowly dipped beyond the horizon, bringing to a close the final chapter of a man once tasked with guiding the destiny of a nation.