Ayoola R. Lawal Odunewu, former Secretary of the APC Committee of Diaspora Chairmen and Co-Founder of Omo-Eko Atata Laajo, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his iconic and humble farewell to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. In a moment that brought reflection and renewed respect to Nigeria’s national stage, President Tinubu offered a farewell that was not only presidential but profoundly human.
Speaking on the significance of the gesture, Odunewu noted:
“As a member of the Nigerian diaspora and someone who has served in party leadership across the global APC structure, I observed with deep admiration what President Tinubu did in the face of our former president’s passing. He did not just manage a burial; he led a nation through grief with dignity, discipline, and cultural depth.”
He explained that the Nigerian diaspora often yearns for leadership at home that understands the power of symbolism and sincerity. President Tinubu’s decision to walk behind the coffin of his predecessor, travel by road to Daura, and remain personally present at every stage of the burial was described as a masterclass in humility, embodying the Yoruba ideal of an Omoluabi – a person of integrity, respect, and upright character.
“What President Tinubu did was powerful. He embodied Omoluabi values, honouring the dead with humility, walking behind the coffin of a former leader, and showing Nigerians and the world what true leadership looks like.”
Odunewu added that in Yoruba culture, Iwa l’ewa – character is beauty. Tinubu’s actions reminded Nigerians that greatness is not measured by titles or protocol, but by how leaders treat those who came before them, even in death.
“His approach was not political. It was personal. It was cultural. And it was presidential,” he said.
From declaring a national holiday to ordering the Nigerian flag flown at half-mast, and deploying Vice President Kashim Shettima alongside his Chief of Staff to retrieve Buhari’s body from London, President Tinubu handled every detail with reverence and resolve. Most importantly, he ensured the burial reflected Buhari’s personal values: simplicity, faith, and respect for tradition.
“This is the kind of leadership that inspires confidence in Nigeria’s future – leadership that does not shout, but speaks volumes through action,” Odunewu concluded.
Nigerians in the diaspora have commended President Tinubu for setting a national example of statesmanship that transcends politics, reaching into legacy and humanity.
Ayoola R. Lawal Odunewu
Former Secretary, APC Committee of Diaspora Chairmen
Co-Founder, Omo-Eko Atata Laajo
