Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar a few minutes ago spoke of how honoured he felt to be one of the few invited by the family of departed icon Nelson Mandela to witness his burial this morning in Qunu, South Africa.

Despite playing a key role in South Africa’s independence struggle, Nigeria has been neglected in Mandela’s funeral programme but Atiku, who enjoys warm personal relations with the Mandelas and the South African Government, has been given a red carpet treatment.

“Truly honoured to be one of the few witnessing Madiba’s final farewell in Qunu. Rest in peace, Madiba,” Atiku wrote on Facebook around 7:00 a.m.

A report this morning by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) gave an update on Mandela’s burial and disclosed that the great man chose his burial spot long before his death on December 5. The report said:

“Former President Nelson Mandela’s grave is at the Mandela farm, within the Mandela household premises, in Qunu. It will be overlooking his house along the N2, exactly as per his wishes long before he passed on.

“There he will lie alongside three of his deceased children, Thembekile, Makgato and Makaziwe. Thembekile passed away in a car crash in 1969 while Madiba was still in prison on Robben Island and the apartheid regime did not even grant him the opportunity to attend the funeral.

“His daughter Makaziwe died at nine months, whom his other eldest surviving daughter Makaziwe is named after. His parents lay buried in the family’s old graveyard not too far from the Mandela household in Qunu.

“Minister in the presidency, Collins Chabane, says about 4,500 mourners are for Madiba’s funeral on Sunday morning, will have to be at the main marquee on the family farm by 7am. The funeral is scheduled to start at 8am and proceedings will be concluded by 2pm.”

•Photo shows the late Nelson Mandela.