…Flags to fly at half-mast for seven days as Tinubu orders delegation to London
Nigeria was plunged into mourning on Sunday following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London at about 4:30 p.m. after a prolonged illness. He was 82.
In an official statement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed deep sorrow over the passing of his predecessor, describing Buhari as a “patriot, gallant soldier, and statesman to the core.” President Tinubu has ordered national flags to fly at half-mast across the country for seven days and has summoned an emergency session of the Federal Executive Council on Tuesday in Buhari’s honour.
The president also directed Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to the United Kingdom to accompany the late president’s remains back to Nigeria.
“President Buhari’s legacy of integrity, discipline, and unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s unity will remain etched in our national memory,” Tinubu said.
Born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, Buhari served Nigeria at the highest levels of governance first as military Head of State between 1984 and 1985, and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023. His military background, coupled with a spartan lifestyle and anti-corruption posture, earned him widespread support and fierce loyalty from admirers across the country.
In a moving tribute, former presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina, who worked with Buhari for eight years, described him as a man of “integrity, discipline and faith.”
“He was my senior friend… I knew him for his concreteness, his simplicity, and the way he held power lightly,” Adesina recalled during a special NTA broadcast.
“Even when in the ICU, we hoped he’d recover. But it was not to be.”
Adesina emphasized Buhari’s aversion to corruption and materialism, saying:
“There’s nothing you can trace to Buhari that resembles corruption. He believed the nation’s resources were a sacred trust.”
Garba Shehu, another longtime aide and Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said the news of Buhari’s death came as a personal blow:
“I was deeply shocked. We had been receiving encouraging reports from London. We thought the worst was over,” he said.
He described Buhari as “a great visionary, a man who loved Nigeria more than he loved himself.”
“He lived simply. He had no love for cars, homes, or material wealth. He was a man of faith and enormous patience.”
Shehu also remarked on the vacuum Buhari’s death would leave in Nigeria’s political landscape:
“He had a unique national appeal, especially in Northern Nigeria. Replacing that kind of political weight will be difficult.”
From Katsina to the corridors of Aso Rock, voices of grief and reverence echoed. Farouk Adamu Aliyu, a close political associate, paid glowing tribute:
“He never slept during conventions, never got tired on campaign trails. Nigeria has lost a tireless patriot and a consistent leader.”
Buhari’s political journey was marked by persistence. After unsuccessful presidential bids in 2003, 2007, and 2011, he finally won in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeating an incumbent—a first in Nigeria’s political history.
His presidency focused on infrastructural development, agricultural revival, anti-corruption, and economic reform. However, his government also faced heavy criticism over insecurity, inflation, and economic hardship.
Yet, to his supporters, Buhari embodied hope and unyielding principle.
“He taught us perseverance, truthfulness, and consistency,” said one mourner on the NTA broadcast. “We will honour him by living those values.”
In a nationwide broadcast, NTA chronicled his life and times, recalling Buhari’s early military training, his anti-corruption crusade as military leader, and his eventual return to democratic leadership.
As the nation awaits the return of his body from London, tributes continue to pour in from across party lines, religious communities, and global partners.
Muhammadu Buhari is survived by his wife, Aisha, and several children.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.
