The country bid farewell to Buhari with the military honor and honorable chant of “Sai Baba.”
Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was buried in the backyard of his home in the northern Katina town of Daura as supporters climbed a tree and yelled “Sai Baba” to say goodbye to the 82-year-old.
The military parade and 21 gun salutes honored the former president at the airport on Tuesday, giving a final glimpse as the crowd surged and the cas was dropped to the ground before his body carried 80km (50 miles) to Dawla.
Buhari died in a London hospital on Sunday after a private illness. Wrapped in Nigeria’s green and white flag, his ffin flew to Katina to meet government officials President Bora Tinubu and mourners.
Buhari, who first came to power in the 1983 military coup and ruled in less than two years, led the most populous country in Africa as a civilian after beating Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election. He served two terms before resigning in 2023.
President Tinubu has declared seven days of national mourning and public holidays to honor Buhari’s legacy.
Buhari’s presidency saw some achievements in infrastructure and anti-corruption efforts, but his inauguration time was also marked by a slump in the economy, worsening anxiety and a long-term crisis in Nigeria’s oil sector.
Still, many in northern Nigeria saw him as a principled and strict leader who sought to pilot the country through a disturbed era.
Tear-inducing supporters were chanted when cas disappeared from sight, marking the end of the era of a man who was respected and criticized.
Buhari leaves behind a complex heritage
Known for his strict style and fiery rhetoric of corruption, Buhari was seen as a reformer by his supporters. “I belong to everyone, I belong to no one,” he often declared, hoping to position himself on the entrenched political sects of Nigeria.
However, his presidency struggled to curb the growing anxiety. He promised to defeat Boko Haram and restore order, but armed violence spread far beyond the northeast. Gunmen, separatists and criminal groups had been operating in immunity in most of the country by the end of their tenure.
Still, Buhari leaves his legacy as a symbol of Nigeria’s democratic change, even if the transformation he promised remains incomplete.
Talked to Al Jazeera from London after Buhari’s death over the weekend, Sema Africa editor and longtime observer of Nigerian politics, Alexis Akwajiram, said he remembers gaining power as an opposition candidate by accomplishing what many thought was impossible.
“He was the first opposition candidate since returning to civilian rule, winning at the ballot box,” Akwagyiram refers to his 2015 victory over Jonathan. “History will remember him favorably for that.”
However, Akwagyiram was dull about his mistakes marking Buhari’s tenure. He described the former general as “very ineffective” in managing the Nigerian economy, citing his claim to maintain a strong naira, which led to a complex system of multiple exchange rates and two recessions during his tenure.
Despite the criticism, Akwagyiram highlighted why Buhari resonated so strongly with many Nigerians. “He had a personal brand of integrity and integrity,” he said. “In a political situation that is famous for its corruption, it was fascinating.”
Buhari’s harsh image and Northern Support Base helped to build a national coalition that promoted him twice to the President, a rare feat in Nigerian politics.
“He didn’t try to enrich himself,” Akwagieram said. “That’s something that history is well-known.”
