President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the life and legacy of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari have continued to speak to Nigeria, noting that his transformation from military ruler to civilian democrat marked him out as a rare figure in the nation’s history.
He urged political leaders and national officials to emulate the late former President, upholding the values of honesty, simplicity and self-discipline in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja during a prayer session marking the first anniversary of Buhari’s death, the Nigerian leader, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, described the late Buhari as a patriot whose service, character and devotion to the country left an enduring imprint on the nation’s conscience.
According to the President, Buhari’s legacy went beyond the offices he occupied, reflecting a lifetime of consistency between his words, principles and personal conduct.
“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,” he said.
In a statement by the vice president’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, the president recalled their years as political allies and partners in the pursuit of a renewed, progressive, and prosperous Nigeria, describing Buhari as a fellow traveller on the long road of politics and national development.
“From his years as a military leader to his transformation into a determined defender of constitutional order, he embodied the very spirit of change and of nation-building,” he said.
The President stated that, despite the pressures and controversies that often accompany high office, the late former Nigerian leader retained the trust and affection of many ordinary Nigerians after leaving power.
He described enduring public confidence as one of the strongest legacies any leader could leave, stressing that such trust could only be earned through years of consistency, discipline and integrity.
“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 stated.
President Tinubu urged Buhari’s”friends, associates and political followers ” to preserve his 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,” he said.
The Nigerian leader added that the” most meaningful tribute Nigerians could pay Buhari was to uphold the standards of character, patriotism and public responsibility that defined his life.
“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,” he said.
He also reassured former First Lady Ais” a Buhari and members of the Buhari family of the Federal Government’s and the Nigerian people’s continued support.
“Please be assured, people of the nation and this administration stand beside you, now and in all the years to come,” the PresPren said.
President Tinubu prayed”to Almighty Allah to continue to comfort the family and grant the former President Aljannah Firdaus.
Earlier, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), recalled the incident surrounding the demise and burial of the former President, noting that it reflected the love, respect and admiration the late Nigerian leader commanded among citizens and non-citizens within and outside the country.
In his welcome address, former SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, said the event was not merely a remembrance of the late former President, but also an occasion to reflect on the life of service and dedication to humanity that encapsulated the person and his leadership of the nation.
The former SGF said the service, sacrifices, life and contributions of the late Nigerian leader were reflected in the tributes in honour of his memory by distinguished Nigerians and associates from all walks of life.
While announcing the decision of the family and associates to establish a foundation in honour of the late President, Mr Mustapha said it was the collective responsibility of leaders across different sectors and Nigerians in general to preserve his legacy and emulate his virtues in the interest of the country’s peaceful coexistence.
For his part, the Governor of Katsina State, represented by his deputy, Mallam Farouk Lawal Jobe, thanked President Tinubu for his support to the government and people of Katsina State, as well as to the Government, during the burial of the late President, and for ensuring the preservation of his legacy.
He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their commitment to the tenets of democracy, good governance and peaceful coexistence, which he noted characterised the former President’s leadership of the nation between 2015 and 2023. The late President’s aides, friends and associates paid glowing tributes to the President for the continued repose of his soul and for his family.
Special prayers for the continued repose of his soul were also led by Archbishop Emeritus of the Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Imam of the National Mosque, Sheikh Abdulkadir Al-Salman Sholagberu; and other religious and traditional leaders.
The high point of the occasion was the presentation of the book of tributes by Vice President Shettima.
