FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd), has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a brother, friend, and a true patriot whose life was defined by unwavering commitment to the nation.
In a personally signed statement, Babangida expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the former head of state and two-term civilian president, saying the news was received with a heavy heart.
“Our paths crossed in 1962 when we both joined the Nigerian Military Training College in Kaduna,” he recalled.
“From those early days, Muhammadu stood out quiet yet resolute, principled yet humble, deeply patriotic, and fiercely loyal to Nigeria,” he added.
The retired general noted that their bond went beyond military camaraderie, as they shared not only years of training and service but also deep values of discipline, sacrifice, and nation-building.
He recounted the many trials, triumphs, and transitions they both experienced during their military and political careers.
“In the course of our long careers, fate placed both of us in leadership at different times and under very different circumstances. But in all, Buhari remained consistent in his belief in integrity, order, and the dignity of public office,” he said.
General Babangida described the late president as a man of faith who carried himself with humility and whose character remained unshaken even in the face of criticism or political adversity.
He said Buhari’s death was more than just the loss of a statesman, calling it the end of an era.
“We may not have agreed on everything as brothers often don’t but I never once doubted his sincerity or his patriotism.
“His passing today is not just the loss of a former head of state or a two-term civilian president. It is the loss of a symbol, a man whose life embodied the transition of Nigeria from the old guard to the new republic,” he stated.
He noted that even in retirement, Buhari remained a moral compass for many, admired for his modesty and his example in public life.
“To his beloved wife Aisha, his children, grandchildren, and the nation he loved and served, I extend my deepest condolences. May Allah (SWT) forgive his shortcomings, accept his good deeds, and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus,” Babangida prayed.