President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, on the 20th anniversary of his ascension to the throne.

He described the monarch as a moral authority, a voice of moderation and a steady counsellor to Nigerian leaders across generations.

In a congratulatory letter personally signed by the President on Monday, Tinubu praised the Sultan’s two decades of leadership as a period in which the ancient institution of the Sokoto Caliphate had not only been preserved but enriched and redeployed as an instrument for peace, unity and national development.

He wrote, “You have been more than a traditional ruler. You have been a moral authority, a bridge between faiths, a voice of moderation and a steady counsellor to leaders across the country.”

Tinubu commended the Sultan’s role as President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, saying that under his leadership, Christians and Muslims had consistently found common ground.

“You have consistently stood for religious harmony and tolerance. Under your leadership as Co-Chairman of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, Christians and Muslims have found common ground, and our diversity has become a source of strength rather than division,” he said.

The President also highlighted the Sultan’s contributions to peace advocacy in the North and across the Sahel, his promotion of girl-child education, support for farmers, and quiet interventions on behalf of the poor and vulnerable.

On a personal note, Tinubu said he valued his friendship with the Sultan and acknowledged the spiritual and political guidance offered to him by the monarch.