Tinubu Renames UNIMAID After Buhari At Expanded FEC Meeting
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday (July 17,2025),announced the renaming of the University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University, in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died in London on recently at the age of 82.
The announcement came during a special session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The solemn gathering was convened to pay tribute to Buhari, who led Nigeria as a civilian president from 2015 to 2023 and was buried on Tuesday in his hometown, Daura, Katsina State, according to Islamic rites.
The session was marked by a sombre atmosphere as dignitaries, many dressed in black or white, gathered to reflect on Buhari’s legacy.
Among those present were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.
The late president’s children, led by Yusuf Buhari, were in attendance and sat to the left of President Tinubu during the proceedings.
President Tinubu arrived at the Council Chamber at 5:27 p.m. and formally opened the session with the national anthem before delivering a heartfelt tribute. He described the late Buhari as a “decent, honourable, and good man”, whose legacy was defined more by his actions than by grand speeches.
“He was respectful without pretence to his peers. He was kind to those who served under him. Even in death, he maintained the serenity that defined him in life,” Tinubu said.
“His patriotism was lived more in action than in words. The authority of office never changed him. In the face of crisis, he remained resolute.”
President Tinubu said renaming the University of Maiduguri after the former president was a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to service, particularly to the North-East, where the institution is located and where Buhari played a critical role in combating insurgency.
The special FEC session also featured tributes from several council members and dignitaries, who highlighted Buhari’s contributions to Nigeria’s political stability, economic reforms, and national security.
Tinubu had earlier declared a seven-day period of national mourning and directed all flags to be flown at half-mast. A national public holiday was observed on Tuesday, July 15, to coincide with Buhari’s burial.
