BREAKING: Tinubu immortalises Buhari with University renaming in Maiduguri

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the renaming of the University of Maiduguri after late former President Muhammadu Buhari, in a gesture to immortalise the former leader’s contributions to the nation.

Tinubu made the announcement on Thursday during a special expanded session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

“Before we take the prayers, in honour of his memory, with this special session of the Federal Executive Council (expanded), can we adopt the naming of the University of Maiduguri with a new name, Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri,” President Tinubu declared, drawing applause from attendees, including former ministers who served under Buhari and his son, Yusuf.

In his tribute, President Tinubu described Buhari as a principled leader whose life was rooted in discipline, modesty, and integrity.

“Yet it was in the quiet and unadorned settings of his private life that his true greatness was revealed: pious without show, just without cruelty, humane without sentimentality, temperate without coldness, and sincere without guile,” Tinubu said.

He further praised Buhari’s calm and dignified demeanor, noting that his legacy continues to inspire those who came in contact with him.

“Steady in posture and spirit, dignified in bearing, and commanding by his very presence, his example guided all who encountered him. Still, it endures.”

Tinubu added, “To those whom he loved most intimately, he was unfailingly tender, loyal, and good.”

“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.”

Buhari, who died at the age of 82 after a prolonged illness, was buried on Tuesday in Daura, Katsina State, in a ceremony attended by top Nigerian officials and foreign dignitaries.

He served as Nigeria’s military head of state from 1983 to 1985 and later as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, making him the second-longest-serving leader in Nigeria’s history.