10 years on throne: 10 things you probably didn’t know about Sultan of Sokoto

Amirul Mumineen Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto, is celebrating 10 years on throne of his forefathers.
The monarch, who is one of the most respected in not just the country but the continent, has played a key role in ensuring peace and stability of Nigeria.
Here are 10 things you should (if you do not) know about him.
He is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto
Sa’ad Abubakar III is the 20th sultan to bear the titular ruler of Sokoto. He succeeded his brother, Muhammadu Maccido, and they are both sons to the 17th Sultan.
Celebrating his 10th year on throne

He ascended the throne on 2nd November, 2006. He is fifth heir to the 200-year-old throne founded by his ancestor, Usman Dan Fodio.
He is the president-general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)
NSCIA is the umbrella body for all Muslims in the country, and he is considered the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s estimated 70 million Muslims.
Head of Qadiriyya sufi
Abubakar III is the leader of the Qadiriyya sufi order, which is historically accepted as the most important Muslim position in Nigeria.
He attended military academy
Abubakar attended the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1975, where he began his military career; he was was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1977.
Military liaison officer for ECOWAS
The Sultan was the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the mid 1990s
Led  peacekeeping movements
Abubakar led a battalion of African peacekeepers in Chad during the early 1980s, as part of the Organisation of African Unity’s force, and he spent 31 years in the military as a peacekeeper.
He was Nigeria’s defence attache until the February preceding his ascension
Sultan served as Nigeria’s defence attache to Pakistan, with concurrent accreditation to Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan until his coronation.
Strong willed, blunt
A close military associate of Abubakar described him as “strong willed, blunt, a very good soldier, a strict disciplinarian, who holds strong opinions on issues”.
He has a good relationship with Ibrahim Babangida
Due to his extensive years and training in the military, Abubakar is said to have “real closeness” to Babangida and he sees the former military president as his mentor, according to BBC.




 The Cable


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