The year 2025 proved to be a period of significant loss for Nigeria's political landscape, particularly for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The nation witnessed the passing of several prominent figures, including a former head of state and key political allies of the sitting president.
Prominent Figures Remembered: A Year of Political Loss
The list of notable passings includes former President Muhammadu Buhari and three other individuals who were closely associated with President Tinubu's political journey. Their deaths marked moments of national reflection and mourning.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari, aged 82, died on July 13, 2025, in a London clinic. A pivotal figure in Nigerian history, Buhari first led the country as a military ruler after a 1983 coup before being democratically elected president decades later in 2015. He was laid to rest in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, with full military honours, including a 21-gun salute. President Tinubu, in a personally signed tribute, described Buhari as "a patriot, a soldier, and a statesman" to his core. Their political alliance was foundational, as Tinubu's party merger with Buhari's faction in 2013 created the All Progressives Congress (APC), which finally brought Buhari to power in 2015.
Three Pillars of Support: Tinubu's Close Associates
The year's losses for the president's circle began in January 2025 with the death of Pa Akinsanya Sunny Ajose. A respected chieftain of the APC and a member of the influential Governance Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos State, Ajose was hailed by Tinubu as a unifying force and a committed party loyalist from the Badagry area.
In September, another blow came with the passing of Air Vice Marshal Terry Omatsola Okorodudu (rtd) at 70. The APC chieftain from Delta State died in Nairobi, Kenya, after a prolonged illness. President Tinubu mourned him as a long-time political ally and a dedicated public servant who mentored many in his military career.
The final loss from this core group occurred in November 2025, with the death of Bayo Osiyemi, aged 75. Known as the "Charming Prince," Osiyemi served as Chief Press Secretary to Lagos's first civilian governor, Lateef Jakande. Tinubu remembered him as a dependable ally, a renowned politician, and a revered leader in the Mushin area of Lagos, who also contributed to the state's chieftaincy affairs.
National Mourning Extends Beyond Politics
The year also saw the passing of other influential Nigerians, prompting reactions from the presidency. The death of one of Nigeria's most prominent Islamic scholars, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, was described by President Tinubu and other leaders as a profound national loss. This highlighted a year where the country bid farewell to figures who shaped its political, social, and religious spheres.
President Tinubu's official statements, often delivered through his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, consistently expressed profound sorrow and highlighted the enduring legacies of these individuals. Their deaths underscore the shifting tides within Nigeria's political environment and the personal losses within its leadership circles.
