Obasanjo pays tribute to Buhari, says Nigeria needed his experience in troubled times

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on Sunday afternoon in a clinic in London.

Speaking from his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Sunday night, Obasanjo described Buhari as a true patriot who served Nigeria dutifully in various capacities—first as a soldier, then as an administrator, and ultimately as a statesman.

“It is with a heavy heart that I received this afternoon the passing to glory of a colleague, a comrade, co-patriot, General Muhammadu Buhari,” Obasanjo said. “As a soldier, he played his role as a soldier; as an administrator, he played his role as an administrator; as a statesman, he played his role as a statesman.”

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Obasanjo noted that Buhari’s death came at a time when Nigeria desperately needs the wisdom and insight of former leaders to address the nation’s multifaceted crises.

“His demise comes at a time like this that we need the totality of the experience and what I may call statesmanship of all of those who have had the opportunity to run the affairs of this country in the past to get us out of the situation we are in,” he said.

The former president concluded his tribute by expressing profound sorrow over the loss, stating, “He will be sorely missed, and may his soul rest in perfect peace.”

Buhari served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1983 to 1985 and returned as a democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023. His death has drawn reactions from political leaders and citizens across the country.