Hadiza Muhammadu Buhari, fondly known as Nana, has paid an emotional tribute to her late father, former President Muhammadu Buhari, recalling his unwavering discipline, moral principles, and quiet strength that shaped her and her siblings from a young age.
In an interview with BBC Hausa Service following Buhari’s death on Sunday in a London clinic after a prolonged illness, Hadiza opened up about the life lessons her father instilled in his children, describing him as “a man of principle, patience, and calm dignity.”
Recounting a childhood memory, Hadiza narrated how her father once scolded her for using leftover money to buy sweets after being sent on an errand to purchase textbooks.
She said, “I remember when we were little, there was a time he gave me money to buy textbooks. After buying the books, I used the remaining change to buy sweets. When I returned and gave him the remaining balance, he said, ‘Nana, that’s improper. If you’re sent to buy something, return the change to the person who sent you. If they choose to give it to you, accept it. But never touch what doesn’t belong to you.”
Hadiza, who fondly referred to her father as “Madam Nana,” spoke of their close bond. She recalled that despite his reserved nature, they often chatted, joked, and laughed together.
She said, “He didn’t like noise, and even when insulted, he never retaliated; he would just look at you.”
She also spoke of the deep pain she felt at his passing, likening it to the heartbreak she experienced when their mother died two decades ago.
“I am deeply pained by his exit, just the way I was devastated when we lost our mother 20 years ago,” she said.
Hadiza said Buhari maintained a unique closeness with each of his children and grandchildren, often creating personal nicknames for them.
“He had special names for all of them. There is Mama and there is Babban Mutum,” she revealed, noting that his love extended to relatives and family members with whom he kept strong ties.
She further stated that Buhari also had a fondness for animals, especially his cattle, turtles, and peacocks.
Hadiza also shared one of the final moments she had with her father while he was receiving treatment abroad.
She said, “During his treatment, I went to London to check on him. When he got better, I told him I was returning to Nigeria. He asked, ‘Where are you going?’ I said, ‘Back to Nigeria,’ and he replied, ‘Then go and greet Nigerians for me.’”