Former presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has defended the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent medical visits to the United Kingdom, stating that relying solely on Nigeria’s health system might have led to the former leader’s premature death.
Adesina made the remark during an appearance on Channels Television on Tuesday, following Buhari’s death in a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, at approximately 4:30 p.m. after a brief illness. Buhari’s remains were flown back to Nigeria on Tuesday morning, ahead of a state burial in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
Addressing criticisms surrounding Buhari’s consistent reliance on medical treatment abroad, Adesina argued that the former president had long patronized foreign healthcare services even before his 2015 election, and that such care had sustained his life long enough for him to lead Nigeria.
“He always had his medicals in London even when he was not in office, so it was not about the time he was president alone,” Adesina said.
He added that Buhari’s decision to seek treatment abroad was a matter of survival rather than luxury.
“You have to be alive first to get certain things changed or corrected in your country. If he had said, ‘I’ll do my medicals in Nigeria just as a showoff,’ he could have long been dead because there may not be the expertise needed in the country,” Adesina asserted.
Medical Tourism Debate Rekindled
Adesina’s remarks have once again stirred public debate over medical tourism by Nigerian leaders, a contentious issue that has long drawn criticism due to the dilapidated state of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
During his eight-year tenure, Buhari was frequently in the UK for medical reasons, sparking widespread calls for investment in local healthcare infrastructure. However, many critics say little progress was made in that regard.
Still, Adesina insisted that being alive was a prerequisite for implementing reforms.
“Those who talk of going abroad, they don’t know that a man needs to be alive first before he can effect a change,” he concluded.
Buhari’s Legacy
President Muhammadu Buhari, 82, served as Nigeria’s civilian president from 2015 to 2023, and earlier as a military head of state from 1983 to 1985. His administration focused on anti-corruption, security, and economic reform, though critics argue it fell short in several areas including health and education.
President Bola Tinubu has since declared a week of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast nationwide and plans underway for a full state burial.
As Buhari’s remains return home, discussions around healthcare reform and leadership accountability are once again dominating national conversations — and may shape the legacy he leaves behind.
