FUT Daura Pro-Chancellor, Braithwaite family pay tribute to Buhari

Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Federal University of Transportation Daura (FUTD), Hon. Wahab Akanni Owokoniran and the family of the late legal luminary and former Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) in the 1983 General Election, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite,  have mourned the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tribune Online reports that the former president died at a clinic in London at the age of 82 years after a prolonged illness. 

The Pro-Chancellor, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), assured that the institution would do its best to immortalise the late leader by surpassing his expectations of the establishment.

Owokoniran gave this assurance in a tribute paid to the immediate past president, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, saying that the challenge in particular was to surpass the expectations and make the institution an international pride as a mark of immortalising the heroic contributions of the late president to education and progressive leadership.

The APC chieftain assured that as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, all best efforts possible shall be deployed to attain the standard and productivity as envisaged by its establishment.

“The challenge is particularly to surpass the expectations and make the institution an international pride as a mark of immortalising the heroic contributions of the late president to Education and progressive leadership.

“As chairman of the governing council of the university, all best efforts possible shall be deployed into the institution to attain the standard and productivity as envisaged by its establishment,” he said.

Owokoniran, who was former Secretary of PDP in Lagos and also former Chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area (LGA) in the state, noted that the sudden death of the former President came as a big shock to the town of Daura, the Governing Council, members of staff and students of FUT Daura, describing the late hometown of the late leader as a symbol of exemplary leadership.

According to him, the immense contributions of the late Buhari from his days as a military officer and Head of State to being a politician and civilian president cannot be quantified, saying that the former president “stood out as a symbol of selfless leadership and no doubt has passed on as a great hero of positive leadership.”

“Daura is the community that hosts a foremost specialised university in the country.

“The immense contributions of the late former President from his days military officer and head of state to being a politician and Civilian President, cannot be quantified. 

“He stood out as a symbol of selfless leadership and no doubt has passed on as a great hero of positive leadership.

“We have no doubt that the late president’s goodwill resonates in the acceptance of the specialised university by the Daura community,” he stated.

On their part, the family of the late Dr. Tunji Braithwaite in a statement issued on behalf of the family by Olumide Braithwaite, who is former Spokesperson, Tinubu/Shettima Grassroots Independent Campaign Council (ICC) in the 2023 General Election, reflected on the respectful and cordial relationship between his late father and the late President Buhari, tracing their interactions back to Nigeria’s military era.

Olumide quickly recalled that his late father, Dr. Braithwaite stood firmly against military oppression and human rights abuses under successive juntas, but that the late General Buhari, in 2005 “approached my father for political support” to which request “my father agreed—on one condition that Buhari should accompany him to church services to demonstrate religious tolerance.” 

He affirmed that the late Buhari met the condition and kept his promise.

“My father stood firmly against military oppression and human rights abuses under successive juntas.

“In 2005, General Buhari approached my father for political support. My father agreed, on one condition that Buhari should accompany him to church services to demonstrate religious tolerance. He kept that promise,” he said.

While acknowledging that Buhari’s administration faced significant economic and security challenges and was not without controversy regarding civil liberties, the Braithwaite family, however, praised the late former president for his unwavering stand against corruption, his personal integrity, and efforts to promote national unity.

“Our thoughts are with his wife, Her Excellency Aisha Buhari, their children, grandchildren, and the larger Buhari family, as they grieve this profound loss,” Olumide added.

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