Laolu Akande, former presidential aide, has paid glowing tribute to Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV, Sultan of Sokoto, describing the monarch as a stabilising force and moral compass whose leadership has continued to inspire Nigerians across religious and ethnic divides.
Akande, who spoke on the ‘My Take’ segment of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, said the Sultan’s leadership demonstrated that the exercise of national influence was not limited to elected officials or those occupying political offices.
‘Leadership is not just in Aso Rock, in the National Assembly or only at the state government houses,’ Akande said.
‘Sometimes, leadership sits on a throne in Sokoto, guiding the people with wisdom.’
The former senior special assistant to ex-Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was speaking in commemoration of the Sultan’s 70th birthday, which he marked on August 24.
Akande said the milestone offered Nigerians an opportunity to reflect on the monarch’s decades of service and his nearly two decades on the throne as the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims and the traditional ruler of the Sokoto Caliphate.
‘His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto just clocked 70 and a nation pauses to say thank you,’ he said.
‘Seven decades of a life lived, and you continue to live in service, wisdom and grace.’
Akande also recalled the tribute paid to the Sultan by President Bola Tinubu, who described the monarch as ‘a stabilising voice in times of turbulence, a bridge builder across faiths and communities and the moral compass not only for our Muslim ummah but for our entire nation.’
According to Akande, the description reflected how many Nigerians across religious and social backgrounds viewed the Sultan.
‘That, Your Royal Highness, is exactly how many of us see you,’ he said.
‘You are firm, yet gracious. A dignified man who carries the weight of centuries on an exalted throne. Yet, you wear it with so much humility.’
Akande said the Sultan had distinguished himself through a leadership style rooted in humility, dialogue and a commitment to peace, particularly at a time when Nigeria was grappling with social divisions, insecurity and growing pressure on public institutions.
He said the monarch had, over the years, embodied the traditions associated with the Sokoto Caliphate, including leadership, scholarship and service to the people.
‘For nearly two decades on the stool of your forebears, you have embodied the finest traditions of the Sokoto Caliphate: leadership, scholarship, humility and unwavering commitment to peace,’ Akande said.
‘You have chosen dialogue over discord. You have chosen understanding over anger.’
The former presidential aide said the Sultan’s conduct had demonstrated the importance of moral authority in national life, particularly when political and public institutions were being tested.
‘At a time when institutions are tested, you have shown what moral leadership ought to look like,’ he said.
Akande added that the Sultan’s influence extended beyond the Muslim community, noting that Nigerians from different faiths and generations regarded him as a national figure.
‘That is why Christians, such as myself, Muslims, traditional rulers and young Nigerians all claim you as theirs, because you belong to all of us,’ he said.
He also reflected on his experience serving in the presidency, saying the Sultan provided encouragement and counsel to public officials, including those who faced the difficult task of defending government policies that were sometimes unpopular.
‘For some of us who had the privilege to serve in the presidency, you were more than a father in the often lonely, sometimes thankless work of public service,’ Akande said.
‘Especially in the work of speaking for a government that was not always adored by the people, your words were refuge. Your counsel encouraged us.’
Akande said the Sultan’s example showed that leadership was ultimately defined not by political power or the office an individual occupied, but by the ability to guide society with wisdom, restraint and a commitment to the common good.
As the Sultan enters a new decade, Akande said his life and service remained a reminder of the enduring role of traditional and moral leadership in holding together a diverse country such as Nigeria.
For Akande, the Sultan’s legacy lies not only in the centuries-old throne he occupies but also in his ability to remain accessible across religious, political and regional lines.
The former presidential aide said that at a period of deep national uncertainty, Nigeria needed more leaders whose influence was built on trust, dialogue and moral courage.
‘Leadership,’ he suggested, could sometimes be found far beyond the corridors of political power – on a throne in Sokoto, where wisdom, humility and a commitment to peace continue to offer guidance to a nation in search of unity