By Muhyideen Jimoh
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday renamed University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) in Borno after the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The university is now known as Muhammadu Buhari University.
The President made the announcement during a special Federal Executive Council (FEC) session in Abuja.
The session, convened in honour of the late statesman, was attended by the leadership of the National Assembly, top government officials and members of the Buhari family.
Tinubu praised Buhari’s legacy of discipline, patriotism, and moral uprightness, calling his life one of the quiet courage and unwavering service to Nigeria.
”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.”
Tinubu described Buhari as a “patriot, soldier, and elder statesman” who dedicated his life to national unity and progress.
“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.”
Tinubu reflected on Buhari’s military years, describing him as a gallant soldier who helped preserve Nigeria’s unity during critical times.
He commended Buhari’s democratic legacy, noting how he placed trust in the people and led with restraint and integrity.
”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.
The president said that those who knew him most intimately understood that the authority of that exalted office never changed him.
According to Tinubu, in the face of pressure, he remained calm; in the face of crisis, he remained resolute and in the face of triumph, he remained modest.
He urged Nigerians to uphold Buhari’s values: humility in power, discipline in service and compassion in governance.
Tinubu thanked the Inter-Ministerial Committee, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume, and Gov Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting State Funeral within 48 hours.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio hailed Buhari as a principled leader who governed with honour and simplicity.
”As a minister in his cabinet, appointed by him, I saw President Buhari unplugged.”
”He was not flamboyant, far from it. His voice was measured. His steps, deliberate.”
“His public demeanor, austere. But beneath that calm exterior beat the heart of a patriot—unyielding, unbending, and utterly uninterested in personal comfort when duty called.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, described Buhari as a mentor, a moral compass, and a steady guide to the nation’s leaders.
In his response, Yusuf Buhari, son of the late President, thanked Tinubu and Nigerians for the support and a dignified burial for his father.
He expressed gratitude for the national solidarity and urged continued prayers for his father’s eternal rest.
The session also had tributes from selected ministers who praised Buhari’s impact, character, and enduring leadership legacy.
(NAN)
