Nura Muhammad Mahe, grandson of former Nigerian President Shehu Shagari, has voiced deep disappointment over the way the late President Muhammadu Buhari handled Shagari’s passing in 2018. He stated that Buhari showed little respect for Shagari, both during his lifetime and after his death.
Mahe issued a statement on Wednesday comparing Buhari’s actions to those of President Bola Tinubu, who recently oversaw a state funeral for Buhari. He commended Tinubu for his leadership, noting the presence of top officials, military honours, and Tinubu’s personal attendance at the burial in Daura. He described the event as a true reflection of national unity and respect for service.
According to Mahe, Shagari’s funeral received far less recognition. Although Buhari was in the country at the time of Shagari’s death in December 2018, he neither attended the funeral nor organised a state burial. Instead, a government team led by then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, represented him. Mahe noted that Mustapha, being a non-Muslim, was not seen as the most appropriate choice to lead a delegation to a Muslim burial, particularly one of a former Head of State.
He described the absence of state honours as a major slight to the legacy of Nigeria’s first democratically elected Executive President. Mahe also suggested that Buhari may have held lingering political resentment toward Shagari, saying the lack of public tribute reflected this tension.
He ended his statement with prayers for the eternal rest of all past Nigerian leaders, emphasizing that their individual roles—whether praised or criticized—remain a permanent part of the country’s history.
