Legacy under siege: Abuja community condemns “tarnished” report of activist Yusuf’s death

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is gripped by a potent mix of grief and outrage following the death of prominent native rights activist and political figure, Yunusa Ahmadu Yusuf, popularly known as Buhun Barkonun.

However, the focus of the anguish is not solely on the loss but is sharply directed at the sensational and salacious media reports that have emerged, which the community claims are a deliberate attempt to desecrate the legacy of a man who fought tirelessly for them.

Initial reports from certain media outlets, citing unnamed police sources, claimed that the 39-year-old Senior Special Assistant on Community Development to the AMAC Chairman died during a “sex romp” in a Karu-Jikwoyi area hotel on Tuesday, September 8.

The reports, which included details of his consumption of alcohol and an energy drink, have been met with fierce condemnation from community elders, associates, and family members who demand dignity for the deceased and a focus on his life’s work, not the grisly speculation surrounding his death.

Elder Danjuma Tanko Dara, the venerable coordinator of the FCT Senior Citizens Forum, voiced the community’s collective fury in an impassioned address to journalists.

“This is a character assassination of the highest order, a deliberate attempt to soil the name of a man who can no longer defend himself.

“The dead cannot speak. They cannot rebut lies or correct narratives. To tarnish Yunusa’s image in this manner, to reduce his entire life to a few salacious lines in a newspaper, is not just journalism at its worst; it is a profound sin against our culture and the memory of a warrior,” he said.

Elder Dara forcefully shifted the narrative from the hotel room back to the communities and council halls where Yusuf built his reputation.

“Let us speak of the man we knew. Let us speak of Buhun Barkonun, the man who fought tirelessly for the interest of the original inhabitants of Abuja.

“He was our voice in the corridors of power, a champion for our land rights, our culture, and our rightful place in this city that has grown on our soil. We are proud of him, even after death, and we will not allow this legacy to be erased by vile gossip.

“He was a man of conviction, whether you agreed with him or not. To remember him only for the way he died is an insult to every project he championed, every life he touched in these communities. Let the police do their job, but let the media and the public do theirs with a sense of humanity and respect”, he said.

Yusuf was indeed a complex and sometimes controversial figure. He gained national notoriety as one of the most vocal critics of the 2020 #EndSARS protests within the Federal Capital Territory, positioning himself against the nationwide movement that demanded the disbandment of the notorious police unit and an end to systemic police brutality.

His stance, while unpopular in many circles, was rooted in his specific advocacy for his community’s unique security concerns. This complexity, his supporters argue, is exactly why his life deserves a nuanced examination, not a reductive and scandalous obituary.