FG renames University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University
*May a good leader emerge to inherit his horde of followership - Gen Olanrewaju *Buhari's character was excellent, will be remembered for his discipline and good principles - AIG Mu'azu Idris Hadejia Rtd
By KEMI KASUMU and OUR REPORTER, Abuja
“General Buhari will be remembered as one under whose administration the fame of our media organisation boomed having been given opportunity to contribute to national security, intelligence and general development, coordinated by the Media Office of the President,” AIG Mu’azu Idris Hadejia said.
Late former President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari has been immortalised with the renaming of University of Maiduguri afert his.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced this during an expanded Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in honour of the late leader, held in the Council Chamber of Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja, on Thursday July 17, 2025.
The institution will now be known as Muhammadu Buhari University, Maiduguri, The DEFENDER reports.
Presiding over the session, President Tinubu delivered a stirring tribute, celebrating Buhari’s life as one defined by discipline, moral fortitude, and unwavering patriotism.
He described Buhari not as a perfect man—no leader is—but as a good, decent, and honourable man.
While acknowledging that Buhari’s record, like all legacies, will be subject to debate, Tinubu insisted that the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, and the incorruptible standard he represented will not be forgotten.
The chamber, filled with cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and aides, fell into reflective silence as the President spoke of the late leader with both personal reverence and national pride.
President Tinubu described Buhari’s life as one of austere honour, marked by restraint in power and resistance to political temptation.
He said Buhari “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.” According to him, Buhari set a moral tone in governance, one rooted in transparency, justice, and quiet courage.
Reflecting on their shared political journey, Tinubu recalled how their alliance—alongside others drawn from across political and regional divides—led to Nigeria’s first peaceful democratic transfer of power from one ruling party to another in 2015. He described Buhari’s leadership during that transition as restrained and dignified, noting that he bore the burdens of office without complaint.
While recognising that every legacy invites scrutiny, Tinubu asserted that Buhari’s integrity and discipline must remain a benchmark for future leadership. He noted that the late president’s patriotism was lived more in action than in words, and that his righteousness never sought attention.
The special FEC session concluded with prayers and a moment of silence in honour of the late leader. Across the country, tributes continue to pour in from dignitaries, civil society groups, and everyday Nigerians reflecting on Buhari’s life of service.
President Tinubu’s announcement to rename the University of Maiduguri adds a lasting institutional tribute to Buhari’s memory. It is both symbolic and strategic, anchoring his legacy in a region that bore the brunt of insurgency—and where his administration invested heavily in recovery and reconstruction.
In his final reflection, Tinubu reaffirmed, “The incorruptible standard he represented will not be forgotten.”
This global online newspaper also reports that the choice of renaming University of Maiduguri after President Muhammadu Buhari also underscores his impacts and role as Military Governor of North Eastern State when the present day six states of the North East geopolitical zone were under his administration as one state.
For the second time since Buhari’s passing, one of his successors as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigeria Army, Jos, and former Minister of Communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), says he was a great statesman loved across regions and who commanded respect and had followership across all tribes of Nigeria.
According to General Olanrewaju, “General Muhammadu Buhari will continue to be remembered as one who gave me a presidential pardon when others turned off their eyes away. May Allah forgive his sins and rest his soul in the Al-Jannah Firdaus, Amin.
“May a good leader emerge to inherit the horde of followership,” he prayed.
In the tribute of President of The DEFENDER Advisory Board, AIG Mu’azu Idris Hadejia (Rtd), General Muhammadu Buhari is eulogised as a leader whose administration created favours across bounds without him necessarily knowing beneficiaries.
“He will be remembered as one under whose administration the fame of our media organisation boomed having been given opportunity to contribute to national security, intelligence and general development coordinated by but the Media Office of the President,” AIG Mu’azu Idris Hadejia said.
“Hus character was excellent and will be remembered for his good principles. May Allah forgive his shortcomings and admit his gentle soul in Al-Jannah Firdaus, Amiin,” he prayed.
