Former Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo, has revealed that his mother shed tears of joy after he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021.
Gambo, who served as naval chief until the end of Buhari’s administration in 2023, paid a heartfelt tribute to the late president in a statement issued on Tuesday.
He described Buhari as “a firm yet fair leader” who embodied discipline, integrity, and unwavering dedication to national service.
He said: “His journey through Nigeria’s turbulent political and security landscape remains a testament to his resilience, fortitude, and selfless patriotism.
“I recall with immense gratitude and humility his entrusting me with the honour of serving our nation as chief of the naval staff.
“That appointment remains one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
The retired admiral said his mother, a longtime admirer of the late president, was overwhelmed with joy at the news of his appointment.
His words: “My mother wept with joy when Buhari made me chief of naval staff. She later had the chance to visit him after he left office — a moment she cherished deeply.”
Gambo also recalled Buhari’s final major military engagement, the Navy’s Presidential Fleet Review in Lagos, held just a week before he handed over power.
“It was an opportunity to commemorate the transformation of the Nigerian Navy under his leadership.
“In him, I found not only a commander-in-chief, but a father figure — principled, compassionate, and deeply invested in the professional growth of those under him,” he said.
Gambo hailed Buhari’s contributions to military reform, especially in modernising hardware, improving personnel welfare, and granting operational autonomy to service chiefs.
He praised Buhari’s simplicity, incorruptibility, and compassion for the underprivileged.
“Though his physical presence is no longer with us, his spirit lives on in every institution he strengthened, every reform he championed, and every life he touched,” he said.