President Bola Tinubu has announced the renaming of the University of Maiduguri to Muhammadu Buhari University, in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday in London.
Tinubu made the announcement during a special Federal Executive Council (FEC) session held in Abuja on Thursday, describing Buhari as a man of integrity, discipline, and unwavering patriotism.
He said “his life was a rebuke to vice and a refuge for virtue,” Tinubu declared, adding that Buhari’s legacy would endure for generations.
“His presence once commanded this very room. His voice once summoned the best in us, and his convictions never bowed—even to the strongest winds of public opinion.”
The President praised Buhari as “a true soldier in war and first among citizens in peace,” recalling his humility, sincerity, and selfless service both in private life and public office.
Tinubu described the renaming of the university as a symbolic gesture to immortalise Buhari’s contributions to education, governance, and national unity.
The emotional session was attended by members of the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly, who paid glowing tributes to the late President.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio lauded Buhari for serving the nation with “unwavering patriotism” through decades of military and democratic rule.
“Whether clad in khaki or in civilian robes, through coups and campaigns, criticisms and crises, he never wavered in his belief in the promise of Nigeria,” Akpabio stated.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, recalled Buhari’s legislative support, particularly his signing of numerous landmark bills that reshaped Nigeria’s democratic landscape.
Budget and Economic Planning Minister, Atiku Bagudu, hailed Buhari for championing agricultural reforms through the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which encouraged local food production under the slogan “Grow what you eat, eat what you grow.”
Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister of Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, praised Buhari’s investment in infrastructure and welfare schemes despite limited national resources. He urged the Tinubu-led government to sustain Buhari’s legacy projects.
The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, recalled Buhari’s modesty, revealing how the late President declined the naming of an airport after him and instead recommended it be named after his former running mate, the late Chuba Okadigbo.
Minister of Women Affairs, Imam Suleiman-Ibrahim, spoke of Buhari’s efforts in resettling internally displaced persons in the North-East, particularly victims of Boko Haram insurgency.
In a moving tribute, Buhari’s son, Yusuf Buhari, described his father as “a friend more than a politician,” expressing the family’s appreciation to President Tinubu and Nigerians for their solidarity.
The late President, who served from 2015 to 2023, is remembered for his emphasis on anti-corruption, integrity, and public accountability. His death has sparked nationwide mourning and international condolences, including from Chinese President Xi Jinping, who described him as “a dear friend of China.”
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