Nigeria’s sporting community has joined the rest of the nation in mourning the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in a UK hospital at the age of 82 on Sunday. The Super Falcons led the tributes with a moment of silence before their final WAFCON group stage match against Algeria in Casablanca, Morocco.
The team, who went into the match with the aim of closing out the group phase in style, paused before kickoff to honour the memory of the late leader. In a post on their official X account, the team wrote, “A minute of silence was observed before kickoff in honour of former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away today. May his soul rest in peace.”
Veteran sports journalist Toyin Ibitoye, who also served as media aide to former Sports Minister Sunday Dare, highlighted Buhari’s key contributions to Nigerian sports during his administration. Ibitoye noted that Buhari was always willing to approve presidential interventions to support Nigeria’s participation in major international competitions.
“He made very telling contributions to sports. As somebody who worked with the former sports minister during his administration, I remember former President Buhari was always available to help sports with presidential interventions. There was no request that he turned down,” Ibitoye said.
He also recalled Buhari’s support for the development of Nigerian football, particularly the creation and implementation of the 10-year football master plan. Ibitoye added that Buhari’s administration was instrumental in securing the approval of the “sports as business” policy by the Federal Executive Council.
Buhari served as Nigeria’s military head of state from January 1984 to August 1985 and returned to power in 2015 after winning a landmark presidential election. He defeated then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, marking the first time an opposition candidate unseated a sitting president in Nigeria’s democratic history.
He was re-elected in 2019 and completed his second term in 2023. Throughout his career, he was widely recognised for his integrity, discipline, and contributions to national development. His honours include the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, Commander of the Federal Republic, and military distinctions such as the Defence Service Medal, National Service Medal, and the Forces Service Star.
As tributes continue to pour in from all sectors of Nigerian society, Buhari’s legacy in the development of sports and national unity remains a lasting part of his public service.
