…Late Ex-President hailed as patriot, ‘soldier of soldiers’ in powerful tributes 

…When it’s time, I go to my grave — Adesina recalls Buhari’s words before death

By Sodiq Adelakun

President Bola Tinubu has renamed the University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University in honour of the late former president, describing him as a leader whose moral compass and devotion to Nigeria will resonate far beyond his lifetime. 

Speaking at a solemn session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held in Abuja on Thursday, Tinubu led cabinet members, state governors, and senior government officials in paying tribute to the late leader. He praised Buhari as “a soldier of soldiers, a statesman without vanity, and a patriot whose convictions remained firm against the tide of public opinion.”

To honour his legacy, Tinubu announced that the University of Maiduguri will be renamed Muhammadu Buhari University. He described the gesture as “a fitting tribute to a man whose life embodied discipline, integrity, and service to Nigeria.”

President Buhari, aged 82, died in London on 13 July after a prolonged illness. He was buried at his private residence in Daura, Katsina State, in a ceremony attended by family, dignitaries and political allies.

In a moving address that opened the FEC session, President Tinubu reflected on Buhari’s life, calling him a leader of rare moral clarity.

“Today, we gather under a heavy shadow, drawn from the silence that surrounds a departed leader and the immense weight of a life whose absence will be felt for generations,” Tinubu said.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, former Head of State and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has gone to rest.”

Tinubu praised Buhari’s incorruptibility and ascetic lifestyle: “He stood ramrod straight; unmoved by the temptation of power, unseduced by applause and unafraid of the loneliness that often visits those who do what is right rather than what is popular. His patriotism was lived more in action than in words.”

Former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Buhari, Femi Adesina, offered a personal reflection on his final interactions with the late President. Adesina recalled Buhari’s serenity in the face of death, quoting a private remark made in March 2023: “‘I’m looking forward to leaving. And from there, I go to my grave at the appointed time.’”

Adesina added, “This man neither feared life nor death. He seemed so sure of his God.”

Senator Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, shared a letter dated 9 June 2022 from Buhari to APC governors. In it, Buhari endorsed Tinubu following the party’s presidential primaries: “Our candidate, His Excellency Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is no stranger to you. He is our friend and brother. We know his commitment, his track record and his capacity to lead our party to success.”

The letter helped to clarify earlier assumptions that Buhari was detached from Tinubu’s campaign.

Other leaders joined the tribute. Senate President Godswill Akpabio called Buhari “a principled man who gave everything to a country that demanded everything of him.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, observed: “At a time when society was seduced by materialism, he chose a life of modesty and service.”

Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, described him as “a patriot, a statesman, and a servant of the people whose legacy will endure.”

In an emotional statement, Buhari’s son, Yusuf, expressed appreciation for the national outpouring of support.

“It showed that he was regarded far more than a politician, but as a friend and father to all,” he said, commending both Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for standing by the family throughout his father’s illness and passing.

From the halls of Aso Rock to the streets of Daura, the tributes converge on a singular truth that Muhammadu Buhari, despite his flaws like all leaders, lived and died as a man of firm conviction, one whose imprint on the Nigerian state will not soon be erased.