Irabor: I never met Buhari before my appointment as chief of defence staff
Lucky Irabor, the former chief of defence staff (CDS), says he never met the late former President Muhammadu Buhari before his 2021 military appointment.
In a tribute to the late former president on Tuesday, Irabor applauded Buhari as “a good man and a disciplined and deeply principled leader.”
Irabor said that Buhari’s leadership style was that of trust and delegation, adding that the late former president placed implicit trust in those he appointed and never micromanaged nor never second-guessing.
He said the quiet confidence of Buhari was sometimes misunderstood, but for those who worked closely with him, it was a mark of his character.
“I have never met you before, but I have heard of your performance. I hope you will not disappoint,” Irabor quoted the late Buhari to have said.
“Before he appointed me as chief of defence staff on 26 January 2021, I had never met him personally.
“Like many Nigerians, I knew him only from a distance through the pages of history, the news, and the reverence with which he was spoken of in military circles.”
The ex-defence chief noted that he encountered a disciplined and deeply principled leader in Buhari.
“A man who said little but listened intently and deeply,” he said.
“He sat for hours, attentive and composed, never once calling for a break. I once asked him, half in jest, how he found the patience and strength. He only smiled.
“I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have served in his administration. To my commander-in-chief, my principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, at the sound of the last post, rest well. You fought the good fight. May your soul find eternal peace in the bosom of the Almighty.”
Irabor further extended condolences to the Buhari’s family, particularly the former first lady, Aisha Buhari, describing the late president’s service as marked by “dignity, honour, and integrity.”
