Former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has described the late former Governor of Kwara State, Cornelius Adebayo, as a humble, principled, and loyal leader who shaped his calm and balanced disposition.

Adebayo, a former senator and one-time governor of Kwara State, died on June 25 in Abuja at the age of 84.

Speaking at a night of tribute and service of songs held in Abuja on Tuesday, Gambari recalled his long-standing relationship with the late politician, which dated back to 1957 when both attended Ilorin Provincial Secondary School.

Gambari said Adebayo, who was two years his senior, served as his mentor and head student, noting that he instilled in him the value of humility.

“One thing he taught me as a mentor was this: I used to be very rascally in secondary school, but he once told me to pipe down because people would associate any misconduct with my royal background. He taught me humility,” Gambari said.

The former Chief of Staff described Adebayo as a man of integrity who led by example and stood for democratic values. He recalled how Adebayo resisted attempts to rig the 1983 governorship election in Kwara State.

“In 1983, when tension was high during the elections, Adebayo insisted that there should be no rigging. He said if the process was fair, he would win, and indeed he became governor through a democratic process,” Gambari recounted.

He also shared a light-hearted memory of Adebayo’s sense of humour, saying the late politician once joked that he would have made him the Emir of Ilorin if he had been governor when the throne became vacant in 1992.

Gambari described Adebayo as “a decent, principled, honest, and humble man,” adding that his legacy would continue to inspire others.

He condoled with the family and prayed for God’s strength and comfort for them.