Pioneer National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, has paid glowing tribute to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a patriotic leader and “an angel in human flesh” whose spirit would live on through his good works.
Akande led a delegation of political associates to Buhari’s Kaduna residence on Wednesday to console the family, calling the former president’s death a painful personal loss.
Recalling their last encounter in Daura before Buhari relocated to Kaduna, Akande said:
“I first heard that he died when I was abroad. Before then, I met him in Daura after our feast. We had a nice time together. He was looking robust, he was healthy, very strong,” Akande recounted.
He explained that their discussion gave no sign of death.
“In a joke, I said I was going back to my village. He too said he was enjoying his village in Daura. By the time he moved to Kaduna, I was planning to come and see him here, and they told me he had travelled,” he recalled.
According to Akande, the news of Buhari’s passing came as a shock.
“I didn’t ask questions and I traveled through. But when I was abroad, I learned that he passed. Very painful, very, very painful,” he lamented.
The elder statesman said his first duty upon returning to Nigeria was to visit Kaduna and condole with the family.
“When I came back, I thought the first thing I should do is to come and meet the family, commiserate with them and pray with them. And that’s what I have come here to do today,” he said.
Akande praised Buhari as a rare leader whose legacy would endure.
“He was a great Nigerian. He was patriotic. Maybe he was an angel coming in human flesh and he had done his bit. He had passed,” he said.
“His spirit will continue to live forever because of the good work he did in Nigeria,” he added.
The condolence team included Senator Abu Ibrahim, former Sports Minister Sunday Dare, APC chieftain Alhaji Mahmud Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment Silas Agara, and Convener of the Arewa Think Tank Mohammed Alhaji Yakubu.
They were received by former First Lady Hajiya Aisha Buhari and the late president’s eldest son, Yusuf Buhari.
In his response, Yusuf expressed deep appreciation to Akande and his delegation for their show of solidarity, while extending gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for honouring his father.
“We are grateful to President Tinubu for standing with us and giving our father the honour he deserved. We also appreciate all Nigerians for their prayers, their messages, and their visits. The support we have received has been overwhelming, and we do not take it for granted,” Yusuf said.
He assured that the Buhari family would continue to uphold the late president’s values of integrity, discipline, service, and patriotism.
