List Of Living Former Nigerian Presidents…5 Former Leaders Who Died In Office
Retired General Yakubu Gowon, retired General Olusegun Obasanjo, retired General Ibrahim Babangida , retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Dr Goodluck Jonathan are living Nigerians who have served as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
One among them, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had the privilege of serving as military Head of State and later as civilian president.
Those who have ruled the country since gaining independence in 1960 are Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1960-1966); General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (1966); retired General Yakubu Gowon (1966-1975); General Murtala Muhammed (1975-1976); retired General Olusegun Obasanjo (1976-1979); Alhaji Shehu Shagari (1979-1983); retired General Muhammadu Buhari (1983-1985); retired General Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993); Chief Ernest Shonekan (1993); General Sani Abacha (1993-1998); retired General Abulsalami Abubakar (1998-1999); Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007); Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua (2007-2010); Dr Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2015); Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023) and the sitting president , Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Nigeria had a parliamentary system of government between 1960 and 1966 which had late Dr Nnamdi Azikwe as ceremonial president and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as the Prime Minister and Head of Government.
Under a parliamentary system of government, the parliament, which is elected by the people, holds the power to make laws and also chooses the executive branch and the Prime Minister is the head of government.
Five among the former nation’s leaders died in office; three were among casualties recorded during military coups while two were through ‘natural death’.
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was killed during the coup detat organized by late Major Kaduna Nzeogwu on January 15, 1966, a countercoup that occurred same year precisely July 29, 1966, claimed the life of General Aguiyi Ironsi.
A military coup that took place on February 13, 1976, had General Muritala Mohammed as one of the casualties while General Sani Abacha died at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on June 8, 1998, ditto Alhaji Umaru Yar adua, who departed this life on May 5, 2010.
With former president Muhammadu Buhari’s death on Sunday, July 13, 2025, he is the 3rd former leader to die in 7 years, and the second former president to die in the month of July.
General Aguiyi Ironsi, who killed in Ibadan, Oyo State, died on July 29, 1966.
Those Who Died After Leaving Office
Alhaji Shehu Shagari died on December 28, 2018, while Chief Ernest Shonekan departed this life on January 11, 2022.
Dr Nnamdi Azikwe , who was the Governor-General of Nigeria from 1960 to 1963, and the ceremonial president between 1963 and 1966, died on May 11, 1996, while retired General Muhammadu Buhari died on July 13, 2025.
The Living Former Presidents
Retired General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, retired General Ibrahim Babangida, retired General Abdulsalami Abubakar and Dr Goodluck Jonathan are the living former presidents.
Four among them are retired Generals, Yakubu Gowon is a nonagenarian, Obasanjo, IBB and Abubakar are octogenarians while Jonathan is a sexagenarian-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
