Buhari Got Honour He Denied My Grandfather – Shagari’s Grandson

Nura Muhammad Mahe, a grandson of Nigeria’s former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, has lauded President Bola Tinubu for giving the late former President Muhammadu Buhari a dignified state burial, describing the gesture as a mark of true leadership and national unity.

He, however, regretted that the late President failed to accord the same honour to his grandfather, Alhaji Shagari, when he passed away in 2018.

In a statement issued in Sokoto on Wednesday, Mahe applauded Tinubu for personally attending Buhari’s funeral and setting up a high-powered committee to organise the burial, saying such actions reflected deep respect for the nation’s history and its leaders.

“This is in sharp contrast to how my grandfather, President Shehu Shagari, was treated during the administration of Muhammadu Buhari,” Mahe lamented.

He recalled that upon Shagari’s death in 2018, former President Buhari neither attended the funeral nor approved a state burial, despite being in the country at the time.

Recall that the late President Shagari died on December 28, 2018 and was buried on December 29, 2018.

The late President Buhari, however, visited Sokoto on a condolence visit and signed the condolence register.

Buhari, on December 31, 1983, in a coup, overthrew the government of Shagari.

Lamenting the neglect of his grandfather, Mahe said that instead of Buhari attending the burial at the time, he sent “a delegation led by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to represent the government.

“It was 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,” Mahe said.

He described the perceived neglect as a reflection of unresolved political grievances, adding that “even in death, Buhari failed to show due respect to his predecessor.”

Mahe, however, urged Nigerians to learn from the actions of Tinubu, stressing the importance of honouring past leaders regardless of political differences.

He concluded by offering prayers for all departed Nigerian leaders, noting that their legacies—whether cherished or contested—remain integral to the nation’s history.

When asked to comment on the allegation, the media aide to the late former President Buhari, Garba Shehu, declined to comment.

Efforts to reach some officials of Buhari’s administration failed, as some of them claimed they were still mourning the late leader.