‘Our neighbourhood without Buhari’

• Kaduna residents bemoan absence of deceased former President

One month after the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari in a London hospital, the quiet neighbourhood of Waziri Close, off Sultan Road in Ungwan Sarki, Kaduna, where he lived for decades, still struggles to adjust to his absence. From the street vendors who stopped seeing his motorcade, to longtime neighbours who once waved at him during evening strolls, the late President’s presence, and now his absence, remains deeply felt. The emotions and memories still lingering in the community.

The air is thick with grief at Ungwan Sarki GRA, Kaduna. Not from the wails of a mourning crowd, but from the eerie stillness that cloaks Waziri Close, off Sultan Road, the residential stretch in the Kaduna neighbourhood, where Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari lived for many years, until his death.

Since Buhari’s demise, the neighbourhood has worn a sombre look. The area now seems adrift, like a home missing its patriarch. There is no gainsaying the late president’s connection to Kaduna runs deep. After retiring from the Army following his tenure as Head of State (1983–1985), Buhari returned to Kaduna, which became the base of his political resurrection.

It was from his Kaduna home and Jabi Road office that Buhari built the political network with which he contested several presidential elections, first under the APP, then ANPP, and later CPC, before eventually winning on the APC platform in 2015.

Zubairu Shanuna, a former councillor in the community, stood near the closed gate of Buhari’s Kaduna home, his eyes fixed on nothing in particular. “We are all mortals,” he said slowly. “One after the other, we are all going to die at an appointed time. So, we pray to Allah to forgive him of his sins and grant him paradise.”

The compound, often a quiet fortress, had seen trickles of visitors since the announcement. There were no grand processions, just people stopping by silently, unsure whether to grieve publicly or preserve the austere legacy of the man they once simply called Mai Gaskiya (the honest one).

Outside a nearby provision shop on Sultan Road, Bello Idris rearranged loaves of bread on his wooden shelf. He paused when Buhari’s name was mentioned and said: “He was a God-fearing man,” he began. “I’m still in shock. Even those in opposition; I saw them expressing sadness. This shows you it is a great loss for the nation.”

The shop owner said he often saw the former president’s convoy pass. “But he was never loud. When he was around, you just knew. We would tidy up the front of our shops better, out of respect. That’s the kind of presence he had.”

For many in the neighbourhood, Buhari was more than a former Head of State or retired military general, he was a constant. A quiet figure who blended with the people, yet stood tall in his dignity.

Muhammad Gwani, a middle-aged resident who has lived in the area for over 15 years, put it simply: “President Buhari’s death is a loss of a symbol. It has created a huge vacuum in Northern Nigeria and the country at large.”

That vacuum, for the people of Kaduna, is both symbolic and tangible. The black SUVs, the periodic hum of sirens, the intermittent movement of high-profile visitors, those things may be quieter now. But the security presence remains intact.

While the gates remain shut and activity within the compound minimal, security personnel have not been withdrawn. Armed guards still maintain their post, a sign of continued protocol and respect for a departed Head of State.

“They are still here,” said Ibrahim Abubakar, a resident. “Not in a disruptive way, but you can feel that the house is still under full protection, and rightly so. It shows that even in death, his stature is not taken lightly.”

Abubakar also shared his personal encounter. “Though I don’t live very close to Baba Buhari,” he said, “we used to pray together every Friday at Yahaya Road Juma’at Mosque. As expected, he always came with a security escort but would wave and greet everyone with that his signature smile. He would walk slowly, but smartly, to his car, and he always tried to stop the security from blocking people who wanted to greet him at close range.”

That image of a down-to-earth, quiet, dignified, but approachable leader is what his neighbours remember the most. According to Malam Abdullahi, another neighbour who spoke from the edge of Sultan Lane, “He served Nigeria with unwavering dedication. First as a military leader in the 1980s, and then as a democratically elected president. Duty, dedication, unity, those defined his life.”

Despite the criticisms Buhari faced in office, especially toward the end of his presidency, his neighbours in Kaduna speak more of his personal character than of national politics.

“We judge him by how he lived among us,” said Malam Sani, a local teacher. “He was quiet, disciplined. He never brought attention to himself. That in itself is rare for a man who held so much power.”

As the Kaduna residents reflect, there is also a sense of gratitude for the man they got to share a neighbourhood with.

“We are proud he chose to live here,” said Mohammed Usman, another resident, who recalled how the former president would send foodstuffs and gifts to neighbouring homes. “He had this habit of giving. Quietly. Without fanfare. You’d just find a parcel sent to your house. It was his way of maintaining neighbourliness.”

Beyond the tributes from residents, Buhari’s Kaduna home has also become the new base for mourning, especially for his family.

His wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari, the only surviving spouse of the late President, returned to Kaduna shortly after his state burial in Daura, Katsina State, to observe the three-month mourning period, as prescribed by Islamic rites.

Since her return, the Kaduna home has received a steady stream of condolence visitors from across the country, political allies, government functionaries, old friends, and ordinary Nigerians, all coming to pay their respects.

Some neighbours expressed their affection by nailing large banners bearing Buhari’s photo to their fences, a quiet show of love and admiration for the man they simply called Baba Buhari.

Although Buhari returned to his native Daura in Katsina State after completing his second term in 2023, he later came back to Kaduna earlier this year.

Within weeks of his return, his Kaduna residence became a Mecca of sorts, especially for politicians from both the ruling APC and opposition parties.

That period of renewed activity was short-lived, however, as his health deteriorated prompting his trip to London for medical treatment. He never returned alive.

Now, in the wake of his demise, the buzz is gone from Ungwan Sarki, save he residents’ random footsteps, hushed conversations, and daily Qur’anic recitations.

For the Kaduna neighbourhood, Buhari’s death is not just a national event, but a deeply personal one.

COURTESY: thenation