Buhari preaches unity as Bichi Emir receives Staff of Office

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on emerging leaders in the country to rid the nation of divisiveness and unite the people.

The president gave the advice at the coronation of the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero, on Saturday in Bichi, Kano State.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement said the president’s address was presented at the inaugural ceremony by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to the president.

Buhari noted that the prevailing circumstances of the nation imposed a demand on leaders to “display their qualities and work earnestly for continued peace and unity”.

He said: “Your turbanning at a providential time like this in the history of our country when the prevailing social and socioeconomic conditions have created an opportunity for emerging leaders to display their qualities and work earnestly for continued peace and unity.

‘‘Your father, my friend the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, was a symbol of unity, not only within his Kingdom but also within Northern Nigeria and the whole country.”

While going down memory lane, Buhari said ”when we remember Ado Bayero, we remember unity, we remember simplicity and good leadership, a leader who devoted his life to unify the nation.

“I remember with nostalgia, the passion and commitment he always exhibited in the pursuit of anything he believed in, a distinctive character that almost cost him his life prematurely on Jan. 19, 2013, because of his vociferous stand against the Boko Haram terrorists”.

Buhari expressed optimism that the new Emir would exhibit similar qualities and “even much more, as he has begun to exhibit” within the few months of his reign.

The president, who extended his “deep and wholehearted congratulations”, said he would continue to pray for the success of the traditional ruler.

Buhari said he looked forward to the Emir’s contributions ‘‘to uplifting the people of his emirate and Nigerians in general”.

On his part, Gambari, leader of the Presidential delegation, who is an uncle of the Emir, Nasiru Ado Bayero from his mother’s side, reaffirmed his loyalty and affinity to the first class traditional ruler.

Gambari described the recreation of Kano’s additional four emirates by the Ganduje administration as ‘‘wonderful, historic and innovative”.

Other members of the presidential delegation were the Ministers of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi; Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono; Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika; and Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu, was also part of the delegation.