From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing the late leader as not just a statesman but a personal father figure and mentor.
In a heartfelt tribute released Sunday evening, Ndume wrote: “Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn. This evening, I received with profound shock the news of the passing of former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).”
The former president passed away earlier in London at the age of 82, after a long battle with illness. According to Ndume, his relationship with Buhari was marked by respect, mentorship, and warmth. “The late President was a man I held in the highest regard, not merely as a statesman, but as a father figure and mentor whose simplicity, integrity, and commitment to national service deeply inspired me,” he stated.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1718806029429-0’); });
“We frequently exchanged playful banter drawn from Fulani-Kanuri cultural traditions,” he reminisced.
Ndume recounted the last time he met the former president in Daura, Buhari’s hometown, where he paid him homage. “His warmth, humour, and wise counsel remain etched in my memory,” the senator said, noting that the visit now holds even deeper significance.
He prayed for Allah’s mercy upon the late leader and strength for the bereaved family: “May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings, grant him eternal rest, and admit him into Jannatul Firdaus.”
Ndume added, “Nigeria has lost a rare patriot; I have lost a father.”
President Buhari, who led Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, is remembered for his emphasis on anti-corruption, military discipline, and frugal lifestyle. His burial arrangements, according to the presidency, will be announced in due course.
The post ‘I have lost a father’: Ndume mourns Buhari appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
