Nura Muhammad Mahe, a grandson of Nigeria’s former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari, has commended President Bola Tinubu for granting the late former President Muhammadu Buhari a dignified state burial.
Mahe described the gesture as a mark of true leadership and national unity.
However, Mahe expressed regret that the late President Buhari did not extend the same honor to his grandfather, Alhaji Shagari, when he passed away in 2018.
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In a statement issued Wednesday in Sokoto, Mahe applauded Tinubu for personally attending Buhari’s funeral and establishing a high-powered committee to organize the burial.
He stated that these actions demonstrated deep respect for Nigeria’s history and its leaders, drawing a “sharp contrast to how my grandfather, President Shehu Shagari, was treated during the administration of Muhammadu Buhari.”
Mahe recalled that when Shagari died on December 28, 2018, and was buried the next day, former President Buhari neither attended the funeral nor approved a state burial, despite being in the country at the time.
(It’s worth noting that Buhari had overthrown Shagari’s government in a coup on December 31, 1983, though Buhari did later visit Sokoto for a condolence visit and signed the register.)
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Lamenting the perceived neglect of his grandfather, Mahe noted that instead of attending the burial, Buhari sent “a delegation led by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to represent the government.”
Mahe called it “a painful experience for the Shagari family and many Nigerians who expected more honour for a man who served as Nigeria’s first Executive President,” describing it as a reflection of unresolved political grievances.
He added that “even in death, Buhari failed to show due respect to his predecessor.”
Despite his criticisms, Mahe urged Nigerians to learn from Tinubu’s actions, emphasizing the importance of honoring past leaders irrespective of political differences.
He concluded by offering prayers for all deceased Nigerian leaders, acknowledging that their legacies, whether celebrated or debated, are fundamental to the nation’s history.
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