By Olabode Opesitan
There are moments in politics when the noise falls away and a simple human gesture reveals the deeper architecture of character. The relationship between Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nasir El-Rufai has travelled through every season. They were allies. Then adversaries. Then El Rufai found himself detained on allegations of corruption and of constituting a security risk after admitting to wire‑tapping the National Security Adviser. The political rupture seemed complete.
Then his mother died.
In that instant, the Federal Government granted him compassionate bail to bury her. It was a small administrative act on the surface, yet it carried the weight of something larger. What stunned me was the condolence letter Tinubu sent to El Rufai. It was measured, dignified and sincere. It was compassion at full height. Leadership at its most elemental. Humanity stepping forward at a moment when grief strips every man of his armour.
In the Yoruba moral universe, iwa loba ewa. Good conduct is the crown of beauty. It is the heart of the omoluabi ideal. On this matter, Tinubu chose the higher ground. He reminded a fractious nation that political conflict is not a licence to wish another person ruin. He offered a counter‑narrative to a country where strife, suspicion and reckless rhetoric have become the daily diet.
There is a lesson here for the political class. A reminder that power is transient, that relationships outlive elections, that kindness is not weakness. A reminder that love, in its quiet and unadorned form, remains the most durable currency of human interaction.
My condolences to Nasir El Rufai. My appreciation to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for choosing nobility over bitterness. May our politics learn from this moment. Ti a ba n ja, bi k’aku ko.
Below is President Tinubu’s Letter of condolence
President Tinubu Commiserates With Nasir El-rufai On The Passing Away Of His Mother
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sends profound condolences to former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, on the loss of his beloved mother, Hajiya Umma, who passed away today in Cairo, after an illness.
President Tinubu described the late matriarch of the El-Rufai family as a mother who lived a remarkable life and raised children and grandchildren who have contributed greatly to our nation.
“Nasir, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the passing of your beloved mother, Hajiya Umma, which happened today in Cairo. As someone who had also lost an old mother, I share in your grief. I understand the depth of your loss.
“Losing a mother is a pain unlike any other. I know that no words can fully ease your sorrow, but I pray that the memories of her love, wisdom, and guidance bring you comfort in the days ahead. I also hope you find strength in the remarkable life she lived and the values she instilled in the entire family.
“ As firm believers in Allah, we are convinced that she has played her part in this world as laid out for her by the Almighty and has gone back to her maker.
“I join family, friends, and well-wishers in mourning with you. May Allah grant your dear mother Aljannah Firdaus,” President Tinubu adds.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
March 27, 2026