Tinubu celebrates Sultan of Sokoto at 70, hails leadership in national unity

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on his 70th birthday, describing him as a stabilising voice and a strong advocate for peace and national unity.

Tinubu, in a statement issued on Monday, said the Sultan’s seven decades of life had been marked by service, wisdom and dedication to humanity.

The President congratulated the Sultan on behalf of himself, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the Federal Government.

He said the Sultan, who has spent nearly two decades on the throne, had upheld the traditions of the Sokoto Caliphate through his commitment to scholarship, humility and peaceful coexistence.

According to Tinubu, Abubakar has served as a bridge-builder across religious and community lines and provided moral guidance to Muslims and Nigerians generally.

“I have come to know you as a leader who speaks truth with compassion, who counsels patience without weakness, and who champions unity without compromising conviction,” Tinubu said.

The President also commended the Sultan’s advocacy for education, interfaith dialogue, humanitarian service, peaceful coexistence, the girl-child and the dignity of Nigerians.

He described the Sultan’s palace in Sokoto as a centre for dialogue, saying his counsel had remained influential across the country.

“At 70, you remain a towering figure of conscience and counsel,” Tinubu said.