President Muhammadu Buhari has described himself as a good listener, calling on traditional rulers in the country to assist his government in moving the nation forward by advising him. He, however, urged them to always put such advice in writing.
This was disclosed to State House correspondents by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, shortly after he met with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
Adeyemi, who said he visited the President to endorse a memorandum which he had earlier sent, said Buhari listened with rapt attention and sent him to other traditional rulers in his domain.
“The President listened attentively and he has asked me to pass the information to other traditional rulers in my domain to assist the government by giving advice because he is a good listener but that such advice should be put in writing so that he can then relate it to the problems affecting Nigeria,” he said.
The monarch stated that he advised the President on the various problems facing the country such as the violence being perpetrated by the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, and the Boko Haram insurgency, among others.
He also expressed delight over the just-concluded visit of the United States, U.S Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, to the country.
According to Adeyemi, “As a Nigerian and one of the topmost traditional rulers in the country, over the time, I sent a memorandum to the President which he acknowledged and he asked me to come and endorse those things I have written.
“I think it is time for me to use the proper channel to reach the President for suggestions and advice. Where he deserves commendation, I should also do that, especially as it concerns the multi-dimensional problems Nigeria is facing; the Avengers and the bombing of oil installations, MEND, Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
“One major diplomatic point the President scored recently was the visit of the US Secretary of State, John Kerry. America does not usually send top officers for such visits if they have not used certain parameters to gauge the country’s performance.
“I have met with the President and offered some suggestions. We are losing huge resources to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. Coming close to that is the infiltration of Lagos by militants, especially in Ikorodu, where in the last three weeks, 10 landlords were massacred.
“The Federal Government has since sent forces there to wipe them out. Normalcy has since returned to Ikorodu and Arepo areas. If they had successfully spread their activities to the South-West, there would have been more destruction. Lagos is the economic heartbeat of the nation.”
