FG Renames University of Maiduguri After Buhari  …As Tinubu Pours Encomiums On Late President

President Bola Tinubu has approved the renaming of the University of Maiduguri, Borno State as the Muhammadu Buhari University.

The President revealed this yesterday at the close of a special session of the Federal Executive Council held to honour Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

“May we now adopt the University of the Maduguri as the Muhammadu Buhari University,” Tinubu said.

Earlier, the President paid a glowing tribute to Buhari, describing him as “a good man, a decent man, an honourable man” whose legacy of discipline, patriotism, and moral uprightness would endure for generations.

Tinubu said although the late president was not without flaws, his unwavering commitment to national service set him apart.

“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,” he said.

Reflecting on Buhari’s time in office and his long military and civil service, Tinubu praised the late leader’s simplicity, humility, and stoic resistance to the trappings of power.

He said, “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.”

Tinubu also recounted their political alliance, which culminated in the historic 2015 elections that marked Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another.

“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,” he said.

The President expressed admiration for Buhari’s post-office modesty, noting that he returned to his hometown, Daura, without seeking to wield influence behind the scenes.

“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.

“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,” he added.

Tinubu thanked the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, for organising a befitting state funeral within 48 hours, describing it as a “profound honour” to lead the burial procession in Daura.

He concluded his tribute with a prayer: “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.”

The expanded meeting was part of a series of national mourning activities approved by President Bola Tinubu, following Buhari’s passing at a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 82.

Yesterday’s expanded FEC meeting was attended by key national figures, including the leadership of the National Assembly – both the Senate and the House of Representatives – members of the Judiciary, and representatives of the late President’s family.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has also scheduled interfaith prayer sessions in honour of the deceased former President, with a special prayer session scheduled to hold at the National Mosque today, and a special church service on Sunday, July 20, 2025.

President Tinubu had earlier, on Wednesday, described the late former President Muhammadu Buhari as a man of “rare discipline and quiet strength,” whose love for Nigeria defined every decision he made in office.

In a tribute issued via his official X handle on Wednesday, Tinubu said Buhari’s passing was not just a national loss but also a personal tragedy.

“Mai Gaskiya was not just a former president. He was a man of rare discipline and quiet strength, whose love for Nigeria shaped every decision he made, even in the face of criticism,” Tinubu stated.

He noted that Buhari’s leadership was guided by integrity and a deep sense of patriotism, adding that their bond went beyond politics.

“I mourn him deeply, not just as my predecessor, but as a comrade in the long and often lonely journey of nation-building,” Tinubu said.

The President extended condolences to Buhari’s widow, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, and the entire family, praying that they find solace in the legacy the late leader left behind.

“To his beloved wife, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, and the entire family, I offer my heartfelt condolences. May you find comfort in the honour and legacy he leaves behind,” he added.

Tinubu described Buhari’s death as a personal loss, saying, “Nigeria has lost a true son. I have lost a friend in former President Buhari. May Almighty Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus. Rest well, ‘Baba Buhari.’”

Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from December 31, 1983, to August 27, 1985, and was democratically elected from 2015 to 2023, was buried on Tuesday at his private residence in Daura, Katsina State.