A high-level Niger Delta traditional delegation led by Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, the Amanyanabo of Elem-Kalabari, held a historic diplomatic meeting with the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, at the Royal Palace in Sokoto on Friday, 23 October 2026.
The cross-regional engagement culminated in the conferment of a Global Peace and Exemplary Leadership Award on the Sultan, marking a significant milestone in inter-faith dialogue, cultural integration, and regional diplomacy between Northern and Southern Nigeria.
Dokubo-Asari arrived at the seat of the Caliphate alongside an entourage of Niger Delta chiefs, community leaders, and political figures, including prominent Rivers State politician and businessman Alabo Prince Tonye Princewill. The bilateral session brought together two ancient institutions: the Sokoto Caliphate, representing the spiritual center of the Nigerian Muslim Ummah, and the maritime Elem-Kalabari Kingdom of the Niger Delta.
During the audience, Dokubo-Asari reflected on his decades-long personal and spiritual association with the Sultan, recalling shared spiritual journeys during the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca while commending the monarch’s accessibility, humility, and bridge-building initiatives across Nigeria’s diverse ethnic enclaves.
A central objective of the mission was the formal presentation of an imperial invitation to the Sultan to attend Dokubo-Asari’s official coronation ceremonies, scheduled for December 2026 in Buguma, Rivers State. The planned festivities encompass both an Islamic Nikkah ceremony, reflecting the Amanyanabo’s faith, and the ancient “Se Diye” traditional rites required to vest the ancestral staff of office.
Accepting the leadership honor, Sultan Abubakar III stated that traditional and religious authority remains a sacred public trust designed for societal cohesion rather than personal aggrandisement. The Sultan formally accepted the invitation to attend the December rites in Rivers State, noting that his presence in the Niger Delta would provide a visible testament to national cohesion.
The bilateral session concluded with a joint appeal by both leaders directing Nigerian youths, community groups, and political actors to reject ethnic polarization and prioritize constructive dialogue to sustain peace across the federation.
