…mourns late president, says Buhari was a dignified patriot
Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has described his relationship with former President Muhammadu Buhari as one of the great honours of his life, paying tribute to the late statesman for his unwavering integrity, patriotic service, and stabilising influence on Nigeria’s democratic journey.
In a heartfelt tribute he issued on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila reflected on the death of the former President as a personal and national loss, noting that Buhari’s passing had left him with a deep sense of bereavement.
“It will forever be one of the great honours of my life that I got to know, work with and enjoy the friendship of Muhammadu Buhari,” he wrote.
The Chief of Staff praised Buhari’s steadfastness during difficult moments in government, recalling how the late President provided consistent support during his time as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
According to Gbajabiamila, President Buhari remained true to his word even amidst intense political machinations aimed at undermining the legislature.
“When these machinations became a distraction and I went to him, he assured me that only the national interests mattered to him and that as long as I continued to serve that interest, I would have his support. As was his nature, he remained true to his word and thoroughly resisted those attempts to sabotage the House”, Gbajabiamila stated.
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He credited the former President with enabling a period of legislative stability in the 9th National Assembly, allowing it to evolve as “a legislature of policy innovation dedicated to the service of the Nigerian people.”
According to him, this is part of Buhari’s lasting legacy.
Gbajabiamila described Buhari as a man of dignity, integrity, and tenacity, noting that despite the inevitability of human imperfections, the late President was always guided by a deep love for country.
“He was a man of dignity and integrity, steadfast in his resolve and tenacious in his determination to follow through on the commitments he made. He was a statesman who occupied a unique place in the psyche and history of a country he loved and served for over sixty years”, he said.
He acknowledged that death, though inevitable, still managed to shock and wound, especially when it took a figure as nationally entrenched as Buhari.
“Here we are, a nation in mourning, shocked by a loss we could foresee but could never be prepared for. Because Muhammadu Buhari, the soldier, the administrator, and the politician, has been so long a part of our national consciousness that it seems impossible to imagine any other reality”, he said.
While admitting that the former President was not infallible, Gbajabiamila asserted that Buhari’s public life should be viewed through the lens of his honour, patriotism, and steadfast commitment to nation-building.
“Whatever else, we must remember that and honour the life he lived and the contributions he made,” he added.
He extended condolences to the former First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari, the children and extended family, urging them to take comfort in the former President’s towering legacy and the dignity with which he lived.
“Let us continue the work of serving our nation so that by our joint efforts we may achieve the cause of a nation at peace, prosperous beyond our wildest dreams. This is the highest tribute we can pay to the lanky general and great statesman of our country”, Gbajabiamila said.