Tunde Bakare, Bode George pay tribute to ex-president Buhari

The General Overseer of Citadel GIobal Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, and former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, have mourned the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a man whose integrity and discipline gave hope to millions of Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country. 

Tribune Online reports that the former president died at a clinic in London on Sunday, July 13, after a prolonged illness. Following his demise, Buhari was airbonned to Nigeria and given a state burial at his hometown in Daura, Katsina State. 

Pastor Bakare, in a tribute, expressed deep sadness over the death of the immediate past president, even as he thanked God for an extremely impactful life lived by Buhari, whom he described as “a dear elder statesman and compatriot.”

This was just as he recalled his first encounter with the former president, way back in 1985, declaring that “a colossus had departed our land” and “one whose kind would be a tall order to find again.” 

Bakare said Buhari was a man with a dream of a New Nigeria, which he lived for, worked tirelessly towards from his youth and pursued persistently despite the challenges he encountered, adding that it was this same dream, he as his compatriot, had “the privilege of teaming up with him in his tireless quest to fulfill.”

“It is with deep sadness and solemn reflection, yet with much gratitude to God for an extremely impactful life, that I received the news of the passing of a dear elder statesman and compatriot, President

“This was a man whose destiny first intersected with mine in 1985.

when his policy interventions paved the way for a young lawyer at the crossroads. 

“This was a man whose integrity and discipline gave hope to millions of Nigerians across the length and breadth of our nation.

“This was a man with a dream of a New Nigeria, he lived for; a dream he worked tirelessly towards from his youth; a dream he pursued persistently despite the challenges he encountered; a dream I had the privilege of teaming up with him in his tireless quest to fulfill: a dream that brought tears to his eyes; a dream, the heart of which he shared with me in intimate conversations-a dream that revealed the soul of a man whose lifelong desire was to make life better for the ordinary Nigerian.

“A colossus has departed our land – one for whom there can hardly be a replacement: one of whom only a few of his breed have straddled this land: one whose kind would be a tall order to find again,” he stated. 

Pastor Bakare expressed his deep condolences to the late former president’s wife, Aisha Buhari, and to his children and grandchildren, and prayed that “God, the husband of the widow and the father of the fatherless, fill the void” for them.

On his part, Chief Olabode George said the late Nigerian leader “ran and concluded his race as a mortal.”

Chief George, in his condolence message, copy of which was made available to newsmen, described Buhari’s death as a “leveller,” saying that the lesson of his death was for everybody to be sober, whether one is in power or not, rich or poor as, according to him, death does not give a notice.

The PDP chieftain, who is also former Military Governor of old Ondo State, while noting that death, obviously had a humbling power that eliminates advantages and disadvantages, asserted that the moment it strikes, it becomes clear “that all men and women are the same, irrespective of social status, wealth, fame, power, religion and connections.”

He further asserted, being mortal, everybody will end up in six feet, saying was also wrong for anybody to mock somebody’s death. 

According to him, such is unAfrican and against what God, who alone delivers judgement, commanded, saying that he saw the death of Buhari, his former boss, as a lesson to everybody “that ife is transient and the power you wield today is temporary, *and that “he only permanent power belongs to God Almighty.”

“Obviously,  death has a humbling power. It eliminates advantages and disadvantages. The moment it strikes, you will realise that all men and women are the same, irrespective of social status, wealth, fame, power, religion and connections. Everybody will end up in six feet. We are all mortals.

“The lesson of his death is for everybody to be sober, whether you are in power or not, rich or poor. Death does not give a notice.

“It is also wrong for anybody to mock somebody’s death. It is unAfrican. God does not like that because judgement belongs to Him alone.

“As my former boss, I see his death as a lesson to everybody. Life is transient and the power you wield today is temporary. The only permanent power belongs to God Almighty,” George stated.

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