President Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, emphasised the administration’s need for the support of traditional institutions in order to fulfill the demands recently made by the country’s youths through the #EndSARS protest.
The president made the call at a meeting with a delegation of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, at the State House, Abuja.
Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
According to him, the President told the royal fathers “we have heard the loud cries of our youth and children, and we are attending to their concerns.”
He, however, stressed that “To succeed in all of this, we would require your support and voice to help amplify the message. Your proximity to the people places you in a unique position to communicate and ensure that our response is targeted and impactful.”
Describing their “role as guardians of our traditional values and culture” as most critical, the President urged them not to compromise their neutrality “because this is what significantly confers on you, your moral authority and legitimacy.”
The President, also revealed that his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, would lead senior government officials to various parts of the country “and directly engage with you as part of this process. He will be reporting back to me on your various perspectives.
“I want to once again thank you for the role you all have played to calm down our youth with wisdom and authority. By instilling hope and keeping the peace, you have rendered the country great service,” he added.