Daughters of late former President Muhammadu Buhari have been speaking glowingly about their father just as the nation continues to mourn his death.
Buhari passed away on Sunday in a London hospital after a prolonged illness.
Tributes have continued to pour in for the former Nigerian leader, described by close associates as a loving family man with a deep sense of humility.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa on Thursday, Aisha Hanan Buhari, one of Buhari’s younger children, said the loss of her father felt like losing a part of herself.
“What I will miss most about him is his sense of humour. I look up to him as a part of me,” Hanan said.
She thanked Nigerians who bore no grudge against her late father, saying, “We have nothing to say to them except thank you, thank God.”
Hanan added that Buhari always had good intentions for Nigerians, describing him as “one of the common people.”
“That disciplined me to study, pray, and do things that made us happy,” she noted.
One of Buhari’s older daughters, Hadiza Muhammadu Buhari, popularly known as Nana, also spoke about her father’s values and character.
“During his treatment, I went to London to check on him. After he got better, I decided to return to Nigeria. When I told him, ‘Dad, I’m going,’ he said, ‘Where are you going?’
“I told him I was returning to Nigeria, and he said, ‘Greet Nigerians,’” Nana recalled.
When asked what her father called her before his demise, she said, “He called me Madam Nana. We chat, joke, and laugh together.”
Nana said Buhari raised his children to live by integrity and honesty.
“I remember once he gave us money to buy some textbooks. After I bought some, I had some change, so I bought some sweets.
“After I returned and told him, and gave him the rest of the change, he told me, Nana, that’s not good. If you are sent to buy something with money, when you return, give the change back to the person who sent it, and if he takes it and gives it to you, you can accept it. Do not touch anything that is not yours. Keep the trust and do not take away someone else’s rights,” she explained.
Describing her father’s personality, Nana said, “He is a patient and tolerant person. Dad doesn’t like noise. You can’t insult him and he will retaliate, unless he keeps an eye on you. He was humorous, social, and easygoing.”
Credit: punchng.com
