In a deeply emotional and politically charged sermon delivered at the Citadel Global Community Church on Sunday, July 20, 2025, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Serving Overseer of the church and former presidential running mate to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, declared that the deaths of Buhari and the Awujale of Ijebu Land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, mark a significant turning point in Nigeria’s political and moral landscape.
Speaking under the theme “A Major Shift in the National Landscape,” Bakare described the July 13 deaths of both men as more than mere coincidence, calling it a “symbolic intersection of destinies” that signals an urgent call for national introspection, reconciliation, and rebirth.
Bakare recounted how the news of both deaths reached him on the same day, noting not only their historical significance but also their deep personal meaning.
“It became even more personally significant for me,” he said, “because both leaders died on July 13, exactly 52 years after I left Abeokuta for Lagos in search of a better life—guided only by faith and destiny.”
He reflected on the critical roles both men played in shaping his journey and Nigeria’s democratic transition, stating, “At various points in my life, God strategically positioned destiny facilitators like them in line with His plans for my life and for our nation.”
In his tribute to President Buhari, Bakare described the late leader as a man of integrity whose “dream of a New Nigeria” never wavered, even through failures and opposition.
“A colossus has departed our land, one of whom only a few of his breed have straddled this nation,” he said solemnly.
Bakare lauded Buhari’s incorruptibility, humility, and commitment to electoral and judicial due process, calling him “a symbol of hope to the downtrodden.”
Turning to the Awujale, Oba Adetona, Bakare paid homage to a monarch he described as “a patriot, mentor and elder statesman,” noting his instrumental role in brokering the alliance that birthed the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Bakare, it was the Awujale who facilitated the meeting that united Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Bola Tinubu’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), leading to the formation of the APC in 2013.
“Without Kabiyesi’s pivotal intervention, the APC might never have emerged,” he revealed. “He remained a father figure, a man of fairness, wisdom, and a heart for God.”
Delving into political history, Bakare explained the enduring impact of Buhari and Adetona’s partnership on Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
Comparing Buhari to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he argued that the former president was the North’s version of a progressive titan, a symbol of the people’s hopes.
“Had Buhari walked away after 2011, and had the Awujale not intervened, perhaps we would still be a one-party state,” Bakare said.
“Their union symbolised the first true handshake across the Niger—a merger of northern and southern progressivism.”
Rejecting the idea that Buhari’s death is merely about “who inherits his 12 million votes,” Bakare posed a more penetrating question: “What values produced the man who consistently earned them?”
He challenged politicians to look beyond electoral calculations and instead adopt the values of integrity, humility, and nation-first politics.
“We must awake to the handwriting on the wall,” he warned. “The giant of Africa cannot stand on one leg. We cannot build Nigeria on divisiveness or exclusion.”
Describing their joint passing as a “wake-up call,” Bakare called on Nigeria’s current political elite to reflect deeply and recommit to nation-building.
“Now is not the time to blame past leaders,” he emphasised. “Now is the time to preserve, consolidate, and build upon their legacy.”
He urged leaders to honour Buhari’s model of electoral integrity, judicial faith, religious tolerance, and public accountability. “Where we have betrayed trust in the past, let us remember Buhari’s fidelity,” he said.
“Where we have corrupted the system, let us recall the man who governed the Northeast, chaired the NNPC, led the PTF, and was found blameless.”
Concluding his address, Pastor Bakare prayed for strength for the families of both leaders and called on Nigerians to rise to the moment.
“They have played their parts and bowed out of the stage,” he said. “Now is our turn to build the Nigeria they longed to see but didn’t live to witness.”
Wale Igbintade
Editor’s note: This story has been amended to reflect Pastor Bakare’s address to the nation, rather than his sermon…
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