The Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, has stated that the legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s late former president, will endure far beyond the country’s borders.
Mohammed made the remark on Monday during a visit to the Nigeria House in New York, where she signed the condolence register opened in Buhari’s honour.
The UN official, who served under Buhari as minister of environment and previously at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), described the former leader as a man of discipline, conviction and unwavering patriotism.
Speaking after signing the register, Mohammed said Buhari’s life of public service was guided by patience, faith and sincerity of purpose.
Her words: “He was a man of discipline, a man of conviction, a man of, as we say in Hausa, ‘kishin kasa’ (patriotism).
“He was a true patriot who believed in his country, believed in his people and did the best that he could.
“When we were frustrated, he would remind us that we are serving humanity, that we are serving people and so, we must have the patience, we must have the faith.
“That we must continue to try to do the best, and we will be judged by our intentions.”
Mohammed said Buhari’s death was a profound loss at a time when the world was confronting deep moral and leadership challenges.
She said: “This is when you dig deep to remember what he taught you. We will always stand on his shoulders for many reasons.
“But today is one of deep sadness where we stand in solidarity with his wife, his children, his family and his daughters, and we continue to pray for him and to pray that he will have Al Jannah Firdaus.”
She praised Buhari’s consistent prioritisation of Nigeria and Africa, noting that his courage and conviction inspired many, even outside the continent.
“I think for me, it’s about the courage of his conviction that he always believed in the country and the continent first, and he worked for that,” she said.
Buhari died on Sunday at a London hospital at the age of 82.
