President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on the 20th anniversary of his ascension to the throne. In a congratulatory letter personally signed on Monday, Tinubu described the monarch as a moral authority, a bridge between faiths, a voice of moderation and a dependable counsellor to Nigerian leaders across generations.
The President said the Sultan had not only preserved the historic institution of the Sokoto Caliphate but also enriched it and deployed its influence as an instrument for peace, unity and national development. He commended the Sultan’s leadership as President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, noting that his interventions had helped strengthen relations between Christians and Muslims.
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf also congratulated the Sultan, describing his leadership as a source of guidance to the Muslim community and an important contribution to peace and stability across the country. Yusuf said the monarch had consistently promoted Islamic values, strengthened interfaith relations and encouraged dialogue among people of different backgrounds.
A member of the House of Representatives, Jafar Chiroma, praised the Sultan’s commitment to national unity, religious harmony and the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage. Chiroma described the Sultan’s 20 years of leadership as remarkable, citing his wisdom, exemplary conduct and dedication to the Muslim Ummah and the country.
The Sultan ascended the throne on November 2, 2006, becoming the 20th Sultan of Sokoto following the death of his predecessor, Sultan Muhammadu Maccido, in the ADC Airlines Flight 053 crash on October 29, 2006. Before his emergence as Sultan, Abubakar had a distinguished military career spanning nearly three decades.
Since ascending the throne, the Sultan has remained a prominent voice in religious affairs and national development, advocating dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts involving farmers and herders, the Boko Haram insurgency and ethno-religious tensions across the Middle Belt. He has also championed girl-child education and public health campaigns, using the influence of traditional and religious institutions to promote social development.
The Sokoto Caliphate, established in 1804 by Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, remains one of the most influential Islamic traditional institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, with the Sultan exercising considerable spiritual influence over Muslims across Nigeria.
Key points
- The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has marked 20 years on the throne, promoting national unity, religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
- President Bola Tinubu, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and a member of the House of Representatives, Jafar Chiroma, have congratulated the Sultan on this milestone.
- The Sultan’s leadership has been instrumental in promoting interfaith dialogue, providing moral guidance and deploying traditional institutions to advance peace and national development.
