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 of 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.

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.

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 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 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

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says while it does not guarantee jobs, it is developing a centralised job portal to give beneficiaries early access to employment opportunities in Nigeria and abroad.

The Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this on Thursday during a media engagement in Abuja marking one year since the scheme’s launch.

Sawyerr said the portal would aggregate listings from the public and private sectors, as well as from international employers seeking Nigerian talent.

“We don’t just give a loan and leave students on their own. This job portal is our way of supporting their journey toward economic stability,” he said.

He stressed that repayment would only begin after beneficiaries secure employment, noting that repayment starts after their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“If you don’t have a job, you don’t pay. And when you eventually get a job, your repayment starts fresh.

“Once employed, 10 per cent of the beneficiary’s monthly income is deducted automatically by the employer and remitted to NELFUND, following verification through the NELFUND employment register.

“If an employee is laid off or resigns, the deductions stop. And in the event of death, the loan is written off. The family is not harassed,” Sawyerr added.

On the issue of non-refund of fees to students who had paid before NELFUND disbursed their tuition to schools, the managing director appealed to institutions to return the fees to affected students.

He said institutions have a moral and professional obligation to refund these monies.

“We’ve received multiple petitions from students who paid under duress only to find their fees had also been paid by NELFUND.

“Institutions must refund this money. It’s disappointing that some schools have ignored this responsibility,” he said.

Sawyerr noted that the ICPC and EFCC have started questioning some institutions over delays or refusals to refund students.

“If an institution cannot refund directly to the student, they can pay the money back to us and we will ensure it gets to the rightful student,” he stated.

Speaking on the Fund’s future projection, the Executive Director of Operations, NELFUND, Mustapha Iyal, said the agency is currently managing over 3.2 million student records.

Iyal said NELFUND projects to process one million new applications by the end of 2025, stressing that the target is not mandatory but aimed at ensuring no student drops out due to financial hardship.

“Basically, our projection right now, we have about 3.2 million data students in our system.

“What we’re looking at this year, from now to the end of the year, we’re looking at about 1 million applications. We’re not pushing. We’re not saying that it’s compulsory.

“But we’re looking at how can we support 1 million applications to make sure that no one is dropping out of school,” he said.

PIAK