President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renaming of the University of Maiduguri in Borno State to Muhammadu Buhari University in honor of his predecessor.

The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, via a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, July 17.

According to Onanuga, the renaming was formally made during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) session held in Abuja to pay tribute to the former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The federal government declared Tuesday, July 15, 2025, as a public holiday to honour the late former President. This decision follows the seven-day national mourning period declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

The statement also pointed out that the National flags are to fly at half mast for the seven days of mourning period from Sunday, 13th July, 2025.

Tribute by Tinubu 

At the event, President Tinubu led tributes for Buhari, describing him as a man of integrity who lived a respectful life.

“Yet it was in the quiet and unadorned settings of his private life that his true greatness was revealed: pious without show, just without cruelty, humane without sentimentality, temperate without coldness, and sincere without guile. 

“Steady in posture and spirit, dignified in bearing, and commanding by his very presence, his example guided all who encountered him. Still, it endures. 

“And, to those whom he loved most intimately, he was unfailingly tender, loyal, and good. His life was a rebuke to vice and a refuge for virtue. The purity of his private character gave radiance to the discipline and integrity of his public service,” he said.

What you should know 

Former President Muhammadu Buhari passed away in London at age 82 on July 13, 2025, following a prolonged illness that kept him largely out of public view since his departure from office in 2023.

His state burial took place in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, following national mourning protocols.

His death marked the end of a public life spanning four decades, beginning as a military ruler in the 1980s and culminating in two successful democratic elections in 2015 and 2019.

After decades in political obscurity, he staged a remarkable return in 2015 by defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, becoming the first opposition candidate to unseat a sitting president via ballot.

He served two terms and left office peacefully in 2023, handing over leadership to President Bola Tinubu.

His time as civilian president was defined by strong rhetoric against corruption and a vow to defeat the Boko Haram insurgency. While some progress was seen, these were overshadowed by widespread concerns over human rights abuses, economic stagnation, and prolonged absences for medical treatment abroad.