Tinubu pays emotional tribute to Buhari

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, paid an emotional tribute to his predecessor, late Muhammadu Buhari, hailing his devotion to Nigeria adding that “his patriotism lived more in actions than in words.”
The tribute was delivered during a special Federal Executive Council, FEC, session at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, convened in honour of the late former president.
In a symbolic move, President Tinubu announced that the University of Maiduguri would be renamed in Buhari’s honour. The expanded FEC session was attended by top Nigerian officials, including President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibril; Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, Head of Civil Service, Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, Secretary to the Government, Senator George Akume, Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman, AbdulRazaq, Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma and the Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda.
Buhari’s children were present, though the former First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari, was absent as chief mourner.
President Tinubu arrived the Council Chambers about 5:27p.m., where majority of the cabinet members were seated.
After the national anthem, President Tinubu in his tribute said that the late President’s patriotism was lived more in actions, not in words.
He also said that the late Buhari was respectful without pretence to his peers and was kind to those who served under him, adding that in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life.
He said: “Today, (yesterday) 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. We meet to honour a man whose presence once commanded this very room, whose voice once summoned the best in us, and whose convictions never bowed, even to the strongest winds of public opinion.
“President Buhari, former Head of State and former President has gone to rest.
“He was first among soldiers in war, first among citizens in peace, and first, without ambition or flattery, in the hearts of his fellow citizens. Yet it was in the quiet and unadorned settings of his private life that his true greatness was revealed: pious without show, just without cruelty, humane without sentimentality, temperate without coldness, and sincere without guile.
“Steady in posture and spirit, dignified in bearing, and commanding by his very presence, his example guided all who encountered him. Still, it endures.
“To his peers, he was respectful and without pretence. To those who served under him, he was kind without condescension. And, to those whom he loved most intimately, he was unfailingly tender, loyal, and good. His life was a rebuke to vice and a refuge for virtue.
“The purity of his private character gave radiance to the discipline and integrity of his public service.
“Even in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life: not a sigh, not a groan, just a quiet submission to the will of God. Such was the man Nigeria has lost. Such was the man for whom our nation now mourns.
“President Buhari’s life was one of austere honour. He stood, always, 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.”
The President said that the late Buhari’s life was a quiet courage, a righteousness that never announced itself, adding, “His patriotism was lived more in action than in words.”
While acknowledging the services of the late President to the country, Tinubu said: “His life traced the arc of Nigeria’s journey. Born before independence, he became a young soldier in the struggle to keep our nation whole. In war and in peace, he served with vigilance and determination, as if the task of watching over Nigeria had been assigned to him alone.
“From the battlefield to the corridors of power, he remained faithful to the task. He governed the North-Eastern State and stood as Head of State.
“Years later, he returned to chair the Petroleum Trust Fund, which he administered with Spartan rigour and complete fidelity to the public good.”
Tinubu also recognised the role played by Buhari in the present government under the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
He said: “Yet, with all that he had achieved, his most enduring legacy would be carved in democracy. In a time when many had lost hope that change was possible, Muhammadu Buhari put his faith in the people of this country.
“We stood together, he and I. Alongside others drawn from across the political spectrum, regions and tongues, we formed an alliance that enabled Nigeria to experience its first true democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another. When he was sworn in as our party’s first elected President, he led with restraint, governed with dignity, and bore the burdens of leadership without complaint.
“Those who knew him most intimately understood that the authority of that exalted office never changed him. In the face of pressure, he remained calm. In the face of crisis, he remained resolute. In the face of triumph, he remained modest. Most remarkably, he retained his jovial spirit.”
Buhari, he further stated left the scene when his administration came to an end without in any way interfering in any form.
“When his tenure ended, he returned to Daura, not to command from the shadows or to hold court, but to live as he always had, never seeking to impose his will but content to let others carry the nation forward.
“President Buhari was not a perfect man – no leader is – but he was, in every sense of the word, a good man, a decent man, an honourable man. His record will be debated, as all legacies are, but the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, the incorruptible standard he represented, will not be forgotten. His was a life lived in full service to Nigeria, and in fidelity to God.
“Now, he rests. And we who remain must carry the memory of his life as a standard to guide us. Let us honour him not only with words, but with humility in power, discipline in service, compassion in governance, and fearlessness in the pursuit of justice.
“On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, a grateful nation bid farewell to one of her most illustrious sons. It was a profound honour for me, alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima, to lead his funeral procession to Daura and witness his burial in the dignified manner befitting a great and noble leader.
“In this period of national mourning, I once again extend my heartfelt condolences to Hajia Aisha Buhari, her children, the entire Buhari family, the government and people of Katsina State, and all who knew and loved him. Our gratitude will remain with President Buhari’s family members, who provided him with the comfort and strength to serve our nation in various capacities throughout his over 50 years of public service. We honour his service, reflect on his legacy, and pray for the peaceful repose of his soul.
“Mai Gaskiya, The People’s general, the Farmer President – your duty is done.”
The former President, who governed Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, passed away on July 13, in London after a prolonged illness. His burial in Daura, Katsina State, was conducted on Tuesday according to Islamic rites.