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Al Jazeera
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Nigeria honours ex-President Buhari with state burial and tribute
Nigeria's former President Muhammadu Buhari was buried in the backyard of his home in Daura, a town in the northern Katsina state, as supporters climbed trees and shouted 'Sai Baba' to bid farewell to the 82-year-old. A military parade and 21-gun salute honoured the former president on Tuesday at the airport before his body was transported 80km (50 miles) to Daura, where crowds surged to catch a final glimpse as the casket was lowered into the ground. Buhari died on Sunday in a London hospital following an undisclosed illness. His coffin, wrapped in Nigeria's green and white flag, was flown into Katsina and met by President Bola Tinubu, senior government officials, and mourners. Buhari, who first seized power in a 1983 military coup and ruled for less than two years, returned to lead Africa's most populous country as a civilian after defeating Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election. He served two terms until stepping down in 2023. President Tinubu declared seven days of national mourning and a public holiday to honour Buhari's legacy. While Buhari's presidency saw some achievements in infrastructure and anti-corruption efforts, his time in office was also marked by economic downturns, worsening insecurity, and a prolonged crisis in Nigeria's oil sector. Still, many in northern Nigeria viewed him as a principled and austere leader who tried to steer the country through turbulent times. Supporters, some in tears, chanted as the casket disappeared from view, marking the end of an era for a man both revered and criticised. Buhari leaves behind a mixed legacy Known for his austere style and fiery rhetoric against corruption, Buhari was seen by his supporters as a reformer. 'I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody,' he often declared, seeking to position himself above Nigeria's entrenched political factions. Yet his presidency struggled to contain rising insecurity. While he promised to defeat Boko Haram and restore order, armed violence spread far beyond the northeast. Gunmen, separatists, and criminal groups operated with impunity across large parts of the country by the end of his tenure. Still, Buhari leaves behind a legacy as a symbol of democratic change in Nigeria, even if the transformation he promised remained incomplete. Speaking to Al Jazeera from London following Buhari's death over the weekend, Alexis Akwagyiram, managing editor at Semafor Africa and a longtime observer of Nigerian politics, said Buhari will be remembered for achieving what many thought impossible: winning power as an opposition candidate. 'He was the first opposition candidate since the return to civilian rule to win at the ballot box,' Akwagyiram said, referencing Buhari's 2015 victory over Jonathan. 'History will remember him favourably for that.' Yet Akwagyiram was blunt about the failings that marked Buhari's time in office. He described the former general as 'very ineffective' in managing Nigeria's economy, citing his insistence on maintaining a strong naira, which led to a convoluted system of multiple exchange rates and two recessions during his tenure. Despite the criticisms, Akwagyiram highlighted why Buhari resonated so strongly with many Nigerians. 'He had the personal brand of integrity and honesty,' he said. 'In a political climate renowned for corruption, that was appealing.' Buhari's austere image and northern support base helped him build a national coalition that twice propelled him to the presidency, a rare feat in Nigerian politics. 'He didn't try to enrich himself,' Akwagyiram said. 'That's something history will look on favourably.'
Washington Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
France holds Bastille Day military parade that, years ago, inspired Trump
PARIS — The City of Light decked itself out in red, white and blue on Bastille Day for the yearly military parade and fireworks show that commemorates the French Revolution and the history of the Republic — and which inspired President Donald Trump to stage his own military procession. About 7,000 people, plus 200 horses, marched down the Champs-Élysées in Paris on Monday as more than 100 aircraft flew overhead in an elaborate display of France's military strength, global alliances and strategic priorities.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Fireworks, warplanes and axes: How France celebrates Bastille Day
Jets from the acrobatic Patrouille de France fly over the Champs-Elysees avenue during the Bastille Day parade, Monday, July 14, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) PARIS — Swooping warplanes, axe-carrying warriors, a drone light show over the Eiffel Tower and fireworks in nearly every French town — it must be Bastille Day. France celebrated its biggest holiday Monday with 7,000 people marching, on horseback or riding armoured vehicles along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees, the most iconic avenue in Paris. And there are plans for partying and pageantry around the country. Why Bastille Day is a big deal Parisians stormed the Bastille fortress and prison on July 14, 1789, a spark for the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy. In the ensuing two centuries, France saw Napoleon's empire rise and fall, more uprisings and two world wars before settling into today's Fifth Republic, established in 1958. Bastille Day has become a central moment for modern France, celebrating democratic freedoms and national pride, a mélange of revolutionary spirit and military prowess. The Paris parade beneath the Arc de Triomphe so impressed visiting U.S. President Donald Trump in 2017 that it inspired him to stage his own parade this year. What stood out The spectacle began on the ground, with French President Emmanuel Macron reviewing the troops and relighting the eternal flame beneath the Arc de Triomphe. Two riders fell from their horses near the end of the parade, and it was unclear whether anyone was hurt. Such incidents happen occasionally at the annual event. Each parade uniform has a touch of symbolism. The contingent from the French Foreign Legion was eye-catching, its bearded troops wearing leather aprons and carrying axes, a reference to their original role as route clearers for advancing armies. The Paris event included flyovers by fighter jets, trailing red, white and blue smoke. Then the evening sees a drone light show and fireworks at the Eiffel Tower that has gotten more elaborate every year. What's special about this year Every year, France hosts a special guest for Bastille Day, and this year it's Indonesia, with President Prabowo Subianto representing the world's largest Muslim country, which is also a major Asian economic and military player. Indonesian troops, including 200 traditional drummers, marched in Monday's parade, and Indonesia is expected to confirm new purchases of Rafale fighter jets and other French military equipment during the visit. Prabowo, who was accused of rights abuses under Indonesia's prior dictatorship, will be treated to a special holiday dinner at the Elysée Palace. 'For us as Indonesian people, this is a very important and historic military and diplomatic collaboration,'' the commander of the Indonesian military delegation, Brig. Gen. Ferry Irawan, told The Associated Press. Finnish troops serving in the U.N. force in Lebanon, and Belgian and Luxembourg troops serving in a NATO force in Romania also paraded through Paris, reflecting the increasingly international nature of the event. Among the dignitaries invited to watch will be Fousseynou Samba Cissé, who rescued two babies from a burning apartment earlier this month and received a last-minute invitation in a phone call from Macron himself. ''I wasn't expecting that call,'' he told online media Brut. ''I feel pride.'' What's the geopolitical backdrop Beyond the military spectacle in Paris are growing concerns about an uncertain world. On the eve Bastille Day, Macron announced 6.5 billion euros (US $7.6 billion) in extra French military spending in the next two years because of new threats ranging from Russia to terrorism and online attacks. The French leader called for intensified efforts to protect Europe and support for Ukraine. ''Since 1945, our freedom has never been so threatened, and never so seriously,″ Macron said. ''We are experiencing a return to the fact of a nuclear threat, and a proliferation of major conflicts.″ Security was exceptionally tight around Paris ahead of and during the parade. What else happens on Bastille Day It's a period when France bestows special awards — including the most prestigious, the Legion of Honor — on notable people. This year's recipients include Gisèle Pelicot, who became a global hero to victims of sexual violence during a four-month trial in which her husband and dozens of men were convicted of sexually assaulting her while she was drugged unconscious. Others earning the honor are Yvette Levy, a Holocaust survivor and French Resistance fighter, and musician Pharrell Williams, designer for Louis Vuitton. Bastille Day is also a time for family gatherings, firefighters' balls and rural festivals around France. Angela Charlton, The Associated Press
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Time for France to ‘rearm', interior minister says on Bastille Day
Time for France to 'rearm', interior minister says on Bastille Day NewsFeed Celebrating Bastille Day with a military parade in Paris, France's interior minister said it is time for the country to 'rearm' as the world becomes more dangerous. Video Duration 02 minutes 42 seconds 02:42 Video Duration 02 minutes 30 seconds 02:30 Video Duration 00 minutes 41 seconds 00:41 Video Duration 01 minutes 40 seconds 01:40 Video Duration 00 minutes 58 seconds 00:58 Video Duration 02 minutes 36 seconds 02:36 Video Duration 02 minutes 08 seconds 02:08
France 24
2 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
France enters race to mass-produce drones
01:56 14/07/2025 REPLAY - France celebrates Bastille Day with a military parade on the Champ-Élysées France 14/07/2025 France announces an extra €6.5 bn in military spending France 14/07/2025 France is the main military power in the EU, but is it ready for the future? France 14/07/2025 The 'Bleuet de France' play a newly composed song to remember veterans France 14/07/2025 France Bastille Day: Youth volunteers at centre stage of military parade France 14/07/2025 Bastille Day parade: France's annual show of military might France 14/07/2025 France Bastille Day: 5,618 troops march on the Champs-Élysées France 14/07/2025 Troops from all over the world parade alongside the French army on Bastille Day France 14/07/2025 French military parades on national holiday after a ramp up in defence spendings France
