By Usman Ishaq Shehu
PhD Candidate | Editor in Chief, J.O.Comms | Public Affairs Analyst and Strategic Communicator
In times of national loss, true leadership is revealed not just in words but in the actions taken to preserve memory, foster unity, and honour legacy. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has continued to demonstrate such leadership through his deliberate and dignified efforts to honour the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
At a time when divisions across region and religion often threaten the national fabric, President Tinubu, a son of the South, has risen above narrow sentiments to celebrate the contributions of a northern statesman with whom he shared not just a political alliance but a vision for Nigeria’s progress.
Yesterday, I was overwhelmed with sadness following the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari. But today, as I watched how President Tinubu continues to honour Buhari’s legacy with remarkable consistency and sincerity, that sadness has been replaced by a sense of pride and calm. Since morning, I have been making update after update, capturing each step the President has taken to give Buhari the national honour he truly deserves.
From declaring a national day of mourning to ordering all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to open condolence registers, President Tinubu has shown that true statesmanship is measured by respect for those who came before, regardless of geography or political season.
By setting up a high-powered Inter-Ministerial Committee led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the President has ensured that Buhari’s state funeral will be organized with the dignity and national pride it deserves. The decision to open central condolence registers at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja is a powerful gesture that places national healing and unity above partisanship.
President Tinubu’s actions send a clear message. Leadership is a relay and history honours those who respect its course. His commitment to honouring President Buhari reflects a deep sense of gratitude, loyalty, and nationhood, a recognition that Nigeria’s journey is collective and every chapter deserves to be remembered with respect.
In a country where transitions are often accompanied by silence or indifference, President Tinubu has chosen honour, and for that, history will remember him not just as a successor but as a bridge between generations.
