President Bola Tinubu on Monday paid tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari on the first anniversary of his death.
Tinubu described Buhari’s transformation from military ruler to civilian democrat as marking him out as a rare figure in Nigeria’s political history and urging public officials to emulate his values of honesty, simplicity and self-discipline.
Represented at the prayer session marking the anniversary by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the President said Buhari’s legacy transcended the offices he held, reflecting a lifetime of consistency between his words, principles and personal conduct.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed details of the remembrance ceremony in a statement he signed Monday, titled ‘President Tinubu: One Year After Passing, Buhari’s Life Still Speaks to Nigeria.’
Tinubu said, “President Buhari gave everything he had to this country, and he gave it without reservation.
“He served with courage, with conviction, and with a patriotism that never asked what the nation could return to him.”
Recalling their years as political allies and partners, the President described the late Buhari as a fellow traveller on the long road of national development and progressive politics.
“From his years as a military leader to his transformation into a democrat and a determined defender of constitutional order, he embodied the very spirit of change and of nation-building,” he said.
The President noted that despite the pressures and controversies that often accompanied high office, Buhari retained the trust and affection of many ordinary Nigerians after leaving power, a testament, Tinubu said, that could only be earned through years of consistency, discipline and integrity.
Tinubu stated, “When he laid down the burden of leadership, and through all the years of his retirement, the trust of ordinary Nigerians did not depart from him.
“It is not given. It is earned, and it is earned only through a lifetime of agreement between what a man says and what a man is.”
He urged Buhari’s friends, associates and political followers to preserve the late President’s legacy by reflecting his values in their personal conduct and public service.
“Our duty, as his friends and his associates, is to carry forward the inheritance he left us: honesty, simplicity, and self-discipline.
“We must continue to strive, in our own conduct, to approach the standard he kept.
“That is the only tribute worthy of him, and it is the one he would have asked for,” the President said.
He reassured former First Lady Aisha Buhari and the Buhari family of the continued support of the Federal Government and the Nigerian people.
“Please be assured that the nation and this administration stand beside you, now and in all the years to come,” he said, praying that Allah grant the late President Aljannah Firdaus.
The highpoint of the occasion was the announcement by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, that the family and associates of the late President had decided to establish a foundation in his honour to preserve his legacies and promote his virtues.
In his welcome address, Mustapha said the event was not a mere remembrance but an occasion to reflect on the life of service and dedication to humanity that defined the former President.
He said it was the collective responsibility of leaders and Nigerians across all walks of life to emulate those virtues in the interest of the country’s peaceful coexistence.
Former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon recalled the circumstances surrounding the death and burial of Buhari, saying the scenes reflected the deep love, respect and admiration the late leader commanded among Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike within and outside the country.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, said the gathering was not merely a remembrance but a reflection on the virtues and lifestyle of a leader whose disposition to governance and service to humanity continued to shape administration in Borno State and beyond.
Zulum saod, “The greatest tribute to the late President is not in the words spoken at this occasion but in the prayers offered for the continued repose of his soul and the preservation of his legacies.”
The Katsina State Government, represented by Deputy Governor Farouk Jobe, thanked President Tinubu for his support to the state and to the Buhari family during the burial.
Jobe urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their commitment to democracy, good governance and peaceful coexistence, values, he said, that characterised Buhari’s presidency from 2015 to 2023.
Special prayers were offered by Archbishop Emeritus of the Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; the Imam of the National Mosque, Sheikh Abdulkadir Al-Salman Sholagberu; and other religious and traditional leaders.
Vice President Shettima presented a book of tributes at the ceremony.
