Former Nigerian President Shehu Shagari’s grandson, Nura Muhammad Mahe, has claimed that late President Muhammadu Buhari handled Shagari’s death and funeral in 2018 with “little respect.”
at a statement issued on Wednesday, Mahe compared Buhari’s actions to those of President Bola Tinubu, whom he praised for arranging for Buhari to be buried at a state cemetery. Buhari passed away on Sunday, July 13, and was buried in Daura on Tuesday with full military honors.
“A gesture of honor and a symbol of national unity,” Mahe said, praising President Tinubu’s attendance at Buhari’s funeral and the formation of a high-level national burial committee.
“This is starkly different from how the late President Shehu Shagari was treated under Muhammadu Buhari’s administration,” he remarked.
He hailed Tinubu’s action as appropriate for a former head of state and a reminder of how the country should respect its leaders, irrespective of political disagreements in the past.
When Mahe reflected on Shagari’s death in December 2018, he said that Buhari, who was in the nation at the time, did not attend the funeral or give his predecessor a state monument.
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He stated that a government delegation was sent to represent him, headed by Boss Mustapha, the then-secretary to the government of the federation and a notable non-Muslim.
He maintained that, especially in light of Shagari’s historical status as Nigeria’s first democratically elected Executive President, such a strategy demonstrated a “lack of empathy and decorum.”
Mahe remarked, “It is still a painful memory that Shagari’s death took place under the leadership of a man who many believe harbored political animosity regarding him.”
Buhari did not publicly express regret or regard for his predecessor, even after his death.
Mahe concluded by pleading for Nigeria to put aside its political conflicts and offering prayers for its former leaders.
“May Allah pardon all of our former leaders and give them eternal peace.” Their contributions—whether praised or criticized—continue to be a part of our country’s history,” he continued.
