By Prosper Mene
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led a solemn reception at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport in Katsina State on Tuesday, welcoming former First Lady Aisha Buhari and members of the Buhari family alongside the remains of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 82.
The Nigerian Air Force plane carrying the late president’s body, draped in the national flag, touched down at approximately 2:00 p.m., accompanied by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who had been dispatched to the United Kingdom to escort the remains back to Nigeria. President Tinubu, joined by dignitaries including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Katsina State Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and other top officials, received the casket in a poignant ceremony marked by military honors.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, dressed in all black, was present to offer personal condolences to Aisha Buhari, providing a moment of emotional support that showed the nation’s shared grief.
The First Lady was accompanied by a delegation of prominent women leaders, including Fatimah Abbas, wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and others, symbolizing solidarity during this period of national mourning.
The funeral convoy proceeded to Daura, the late president’s hometown, where Islamic funeral prayers were held at the central mosque, followed by his burial with full military honors, including a 21-gun salute. Hundreds of mourners, including traditional leaders, state governors, and international dignitaries such as Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, gathered to pay their final respects.
President Tinubu, in a heartfelt tribute, described the late Buhari as a “patriot, soldier, and statesman” whose life was defined by “duty, honor, and a deep commitment to the unity and progress of our nation.” He highlighted Buhari’s legacy of discipline, integrity, and anti-corruption efforts during his tenure as military head of state (1984–1985) and democratically elected president (2015–2023). Tinubu also noted that the Federal Government would accord Buhari full state honors, with national flags ordered to fly at half-mast for seven days.
Former First Lady Aisha Buhari, who served alongside her husband from 2015 to 2023, was visibly emotional as she arrived with family members, including their children.
Tributes from across Nigeria and beyond have poured in, with former presidents, governors, and global figures like Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, expressing sorrow and celebrating Buhari’s enduring legacy.
The Federal Government declared Tuesday a public holiday in honor of Buhari, with Northern Region governors following suit. An emergency session of the Federal Executive Council is scheduled for July 15 to further honor the late leader.
Buhari’s passing marks the end of an era for Nigeria, with many remembering him as a leader of humility and moral courage, despite controversies surrounding his health and frequent medical trips abroad during his presidency. His burial in Daura closes a chapter for a man who was both a military ruler and the first opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent president in Nigeria’s democratic history.
