President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to carry the memory of late former President Muhammadu Buhari as a standard of humility in power and discipline in leadership.
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The Nigerian Leader gave the charge during the expanded special session of the Federal Executive Council held in honour of Buhari at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
In his tribute, President Tinubu described Buhari as first among soldiers in war, first among citizens in peace, and first in the hearts of his fellow citizens without ambition or flattery.
“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,” he said.
President Tinubu described Buhari as a leader “unmoved by the temptation of power” and “unseduced by applause”, guided by moral clarity and quiet courage throughout his public service.
“Today, we gather under a heavy shadow, drawn from the silence surrounding a departed leader and from the immense weight of a life whose absence will be felt for generations.
“We meet to honour a man whose presence once commanded this room, whose voice summoned the best in us, and whose convictions never bowed, even to the strongest winds of public opinion,” he said.
The President hailed Buhari’s austere integrity, firm convictions, and enduring patriotism.
“President Buhari’s life was one of austere honour. He stood always ramrod—unmoved by the temptation of power, unseduced by applause, and unafraid of the loneliness that sometimes comes to those who do what is right rather than what is popular,” he said.
President Tinubu praised Buhari’s humility and discipline, stating that his true greatness was evident in his private conduct.
“Yet in his private life’s quiet and unadorned settings, his most real greatness was revealed: pious without show, just without cruelty, humane without sentimentality, temperate without coldness, and sincere without guile,” he said.
He recalled their political journey, highlighting Buhari’s key role in Nigeria’s democratic transition.
“We stood together, he and I. Alongside others drawn from across the political spectrum, various regions, and different languages, 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,” Tinubu said.
While acknowledging Buhari’s imperfections, the President maintained that he remained a good, decent, and honourable man.
“Nigerians and the world will debate his record, as all legacies are. Still, the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, and the incorruptible standard he represented will not be forgotten.
“His life was dedicated to serving Nigeria and Allah,” he said.
Yusuf Buhari, who attended the session with his siblings and other family members, thanked the Nigerian government for honouring their late father.
The expanded FEC session is part of ongoing national tributes following Buhari’s death on July 13, 2025, in London. He was buried at his Daura residence in Katsina State in accordance with Islamic rites.
The former leader, who ruled Nigeria as Head of State from 1984 to 1985 and later as an elected President from 2015 to 2023, is being remembered nationwide for his commitment to discipline, integrity, and national unity.
PIAK