Yola Hosts Thousands as Elder Statesman Bamanga Tukur Is Buried

YOLA, ADAMAWA — Yola became the centre of national mourning on Sunday as political leaders, traditional rulers, business figures and thousands of sympathizers gathered to bid farewell to elder statesman and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, who was laid to rest according to Islamic rites.

The funeral prayers were held at 10 a.m. at the Lamido of Adamawa’s Palace before Tukur was buried in his hometown, bringing to a close the public life of one of Nigeria’s most influential politicians and businessmen. His remains had arrived in Adamawa from Abuja on Saturday evening ahead of the burial.

Among those in attendance were serving and former governors, senior PDP leaders, federal and state government officials, members of the Adamawa Emirate Council and prominent figures from Nigeria’s political and business communities. The gathering reflected Tukur’s decades-long influence across partisan politics, public administration and private enterprise.

President Bola Tinubu, who did not attend the burial, described Tukur as a towering national figure whose career spanned governance, industry, business and pan-African economic leadership. In his condolence message, the President said Nigeria had lost “a man of big ideas and bold enterprise” whose counsel would be greatly missed.

Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri also paid tribute, describing the late Tafidan Adamawa as “a colossus” whose wisdom and commitment to public service shaped generations of leaders. The state government declared three days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast across Adamawa in his honour.

Tukur died in Abuja on Saturday at the age of 90, just three days before his 91st birthday. His family announced that he would be buried in Yola in keeping with Islamic tradition, while expressing gratitude for the nationwide outpouring of support. He is survived by two wives and 18 children, including Awwal Tukur, the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government.

Born in 1935, Bamanga Tukur built an extraordinary career that bridged politics and commerce. He served as General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Governor of the former Gongola State during the Second Republic, Minister of Industries, and later National Chairman of the PDP between 2012 and 2014. Beyond Nigeria, he also led the African Business Roundtable and championed private-sector development across the continent.

As mourners filed past his family residence after the burial, many remembered him not only as a politician but as a bridge-builder who maintained relationships across party, regional and religious divides. His passing closes a remarkable chapter in Nigeria’s political history, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape conversations on leadership, economic development and national unity.