Legal icon and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has paid tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his passing as both painful and deeply emotional.
In a statement released on Tuesday and titled “Major General Muhammadu Buhari: The Exit of a Titan,” Babalola reflected on Buhari’s legacy as a soldier, leader, and patriot.
“Nigeria has lost one of its most illustrious sons, a patriot of the rarest breed, a soldier of Spartan discipline and a statesman of remarkable moral conviction,” he said.
The elder statesman noted that Buhari’s life—spanning military leadership and two civilian terms as president—was defined by service, sacrifice, and a deep sense of duty to the Nigerian nation.
As a military ruler, Babalola recalled, Buhari tackled indiscipline and lawlessness through the War Against Indiscipline campaign. “One of his most notable and enduring legacies from that era was the introduction of the War Against Indiscipline, a nationwide campaign aimed at instilling civic responsibility, orderliness, punctuality, and respect for public property and institutions in the psyche of the populace,” he stated.
Reflecting on Buhari’s civilian administration from 2015 to 2023, Babalola highlighted his resilience through economic and security challenges. “His administration placed priority on infrastructural renewal, anti-corruption, food security and the rejuvenation of Nigeria’s global diplomatic profile,” he added.
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He praised the late leader’s integrity, recalling his personal experience with Buhari during the 2003 presidential election tribunal.
“What struck me most was his personal conduct throughout the proceedings. He was always the first person to arrive in court and the last to depart, not out of obligation or ceremony, but as a clear reflection of his sincere commitment to the rule of law and due process,” Babalola noted.
He added, “That kind of devotion, displayed by a former military head of state submitting himself to judicial scrutiny with patience and dignity, was not only unexpected but profoundly inspiring.”
Babalola acknowledged that Buhari, like any human, had his flaws, but emphasized that his honesty and devotion to national unity stood out.
“President Buhari was not perfect, no leader is, but what stood out was the clarity of his intentions and the sincerity of his convictions. He was a nationalist in word and deed,” he said.
He extended his condolences to Buhari’s family and the people of Katsina State, particularly the Daura Emirate, praying for divine comfort and strength for them in their time of grief.
