Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside Governors Dikko Radda of Katsina State and Babagana Zulum of Borno State, led mourners to Daura on Wednesday for the Fidau prayer of late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The prayer session, held in Daura, Buhari’s hometown, drew a host of prominent dignitaries, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Also in attendance were former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari, NDLEA Chairman Buba Marwa, Emir of Daura HRH Faruk Umar Faruk, former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd), former Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami.
Other notable attendees included Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, former NIA Director-General Ahmad Rufa’i, and Katsina State Deputy Governor Faruk Jobe.
The Fidau prayer began at approximately 12:34 p.m., led by Imam Yazid. The session featured recitations from the Holy Qur’an, supplications, and acts of charity on behalf of the deceased.
Prayers were offered for the repose of Buhari’s soul, asking Allah to grant him Aljanna Firdausi (Paradise). Attendees also prayed for peace in Nigeria, a reduction in food prices, and divine guidance for the nation’s leaders.
Vice President Shettima, in his remarks after the prayer, urged Nigerians to reflect on the transient nature of life.
“We are all travelers on this journey of life and will return to our various homes,” he said. “The passing of President Buhari is not just a loss to Daura or Katsina, but to Nigeria and the African continent as a whole. He was not an ordinary person.”
Shettima also announced that additional prayers would continue, saying, “We will return tomorrow at the same time for another prayer. The Katsina State Governor and members of the late president’s family will also be present in the coming days.”
Former President Muhammadu Buhari died in a London hospital on Sunday and was buried in Daura on Tuesday, with President Bola Tinubu attending the funeral rites.
The Fidau prayer, an Islamic tradition also referred to as “Fidyah”, involves prayers and acts of charity on behalf of the deceased. It is often observed on the 3rd, 8th, 40th, or 100th day after death—or on any chosen day—offering continued spiritual benefit and honoring the memory of the departed.
