Buhari carried burdens of leadership without complaint
By Bola Tinubu
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. 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 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.
Steady in posture and spirit, dignified in bearing, and commanding by his 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. He was unfailingly tender, loyal, and good to those whom he loved most intimately. 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, 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 popular. His was 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. He served with vigilance and determination in war and peace, 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, 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.
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. And most remarkably, President Buhari was a jovial man.
During almost all of my visits to the villa for private meetings with President Buhari, which were mostly held at night, I would go with a paper or memo containing the issues to be discussed. I made sure I had a copy made for him.
On one occasion, I went without a memo. As the meeting progressed, President Buhari demanded his copy, and when I told him there was none, he joked, ” How do you want me to remember everything you discuss with me? Let’s reschedule this meeting.” We both laughed it off and settled down to our meeting.
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. 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.
Now, he rests. As a General, he has laid down his arms. 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 pursuing 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 a 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
