Public and corporate activities were subdued in Kano as Nigeria mourned the passing of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died in a London hospital on Sunday after a prolonged illness.

Buhari’s passing might be viewed as a loss for the nation, but for Kano, it seems more like a personal tragedy due to the strong political influence and popularity the deceased held in the state.

In the 2015 general election, Buhari secured 59 per cent of the total votes, amounting to over 1.6 million in Kano, the highest across the country.

While Buhari is being buried in Daura, about 120 kilometres away, the mood in neighbouring Kano was calm, with residents reflecting on the life and times of the deceased.

Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf and a few members of the cabinet had joined hundreds of dignitaries at the Daura country home of President Buhari to pay their last respects.

Aside from the Federal Government’s public holiday, the Northwestern governors’ declaration of a public holiday had further grounded both corporate and public activities in Kano.

However, vehicular movement along the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport route, through Katsina, Dambatta, and Daura roads, was at its peak.

Dignitaries drawn from across the country who attended the internment of late Buhari landed at Kano airport as early as 7am before embarking on a 1-hour journey to Daura town, Katsina.