Bola Tinubu, president of Nigeria, is currently meeting traditional rulers and their representatives from across the country at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Friday’s meeting is part of a series of engagements the President is having with key stakeholders across the executive, legislative, business and traditional institutions since he assumed office on May 29.
At the closed-door meeting, Tinubu is expected to discuss themes around national healing and unity; as he emphasised in his inaugural speech.
In his opening remarks, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III, who led his counterparts to the meeting, said the traditional rulers visited the President to congratulate him and to assure him of their support in his arduous task of nation building.
The Sultan reasoned that the council of traditional rulers is replete with professionals from various fields, making the council a useful ready pool for the President to draw expertise from.
He also expressed the traditional rulers’ confidence in Tinubu’s ability to put Nigeria in a path of progress, saying that they would support him to concretise his renewed hope agenda into actionable policies.
On his part, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Adewusi, urged President Tinubu to make more “use” of the traditional rulers to address insecurity.
“Mr. President, use us. Use us. Use us,” the monarch said.
Present are Vice President Kashim Shettima; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the State House Permanent Secretary, Tijjani Umar; Emir of Kano, Obi of Onitsha, Tor Tiv, Etsu Nupe, Deji of Akure, Shehu of Borno, Elegushi of Ikate, Jaja of Opobo, Lamido of Adamawa, Emir of Zazzau, Gbong Gwom Jos, Attah Igala, Alake of Egbaland, Shehu of Borno and a representative of the Oba of Benin.