TRIBUTE BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR, AT THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HELD IN HONOUR OF THE LATE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2025 STATE HOUSE, ABUJA
PROTOCOL
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. 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 Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, former Head of1
State and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
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.
2
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. His
was a quiet courage, a righteousness that never announced
itself. His patriotism was lived more in action than in words.
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.
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.
3
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.
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
4
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.
I thank the Inter-Ministerial Committee, led by the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and
Governor Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting State Funeral
within 48 hours.
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
5
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.
May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him
Aljannah Firdaus. May his life continue to inspire generations of
Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness.
President Buhari, thank you. Nigeria will remember you.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
President, Commander-in-Chief of The Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
TRIBUTE BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR, AT THE SPECIAL SESSION OF THE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HELD IN HONOUR OF THE LATE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR
THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2025 STATE HOUSE, ABUJA
PROTOCOL
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. 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 Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, former Head of1
State and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
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.
2
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. His
was a quiet courage, a righteousness that never announced
itself. His patriotism was lived more in action than in words.
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.
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.
3
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.
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
4
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.
I thank the Inter-Ministerial Committee, led by the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and
Governor Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting State Funeral
within 48 hours.
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
5
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.
May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him
Aljannah Firdaus. May his life continue to inspire generations of
Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness.
President Buhari, thank you. Nigeria will remember you.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR
President, Commander-in-Chief of The Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
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