President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), Ambassador Emmanuel Obi Okafor mni, on Saturday paid a courtesy call on on His Eminence , Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR mni, Sultan of Sokoto who is also Chairman of AANI Heritage Council, at his palace in Sokoto.
Brigadier General SK Usman (rtd) mni, AANI Spokesman revealed this in a statement.
During the visit, Ambassador Okafor expressed his deep appreciation for the Sultan’s leadership and the remarkable transformation of Sokoto under his reign over the past seventeen years. The President noted that AANI was in Sokoto at the invitation of the Sokoto State Chapter and considered it only appropriate to pay a courtesy call on the highly revered monarch.
He extolled the Sultan’s virtues, praising his wisdom and commitment to peace and development, which have contributed to the growth and prosperity of Sokoto State and beyond. He also eulogised the Sultan’s continous support to AANI, particularly the Sokoto State chapter.
Ambassador Okafor also briefed His Eminence on the various initiatives AANI has been undertaking, including signing a memorandum of Understanding, visits to eminent personalities and institutions, towards a better society and the production of a new magazine aimed at amplifying the voices and contributions of its members across the country.
In his response, the Sultan warmly welcomed the President and his delegation, expressing his delight with the good work being carried out by AANI under Ambassador Okafor mni’s leadership. His Eminence further urged members of the association to continue their work towards building a better and more united society, reminding them that they are part of one family, bound by their shared experiences and commitment to national development. The Sultan, impressed by the idea of a magazine, graciously pledged his continued support for AANI’s efforts and expressed his admiration for the association’s dedication to national progress.
The Sultan also commended the dedication and perseverance of a former Governor of Sokoto State, Mallam Yahaya Abdulkarim mni Sarkin Rafin Sokoto, member of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 2, 1980 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, and former chairman of Sokoto State chapter, for his leadership in giving direction to the Sokoto State chapter of AANI. He encouraged members to strengthen their bonds and work more closely together for the common good of all members and the society at large.
His Eminence further called on the government to take advantage of the wealth of research and recommendations provided by AANI members on critical issues such as insecurity, poverty alleviation, and national development. He suggested that Nigeria could learn valuable lessons from the American foreign relations model in addressing these challenges using this research in NIPSS, Kuru.
He also stated that to reposition NIPSS, they are working on the establishment of an Endowment Fund for the Institute. Although the Sultan acknowledged the difficulties associated with the project but expressed confidence that with continued effort, the fund would succeed, and NIPSS would eventually rank among the best policy and strategic institutions in the world.
His Eminence concluded by wishing the AANI delegation safe travels back home and reiterated his unwavering support for the association’s noble goals.
Present at the courtesy call were members of the AANI President’s entourage from Abuja; Alhaji Samaila Umar Sifawa mni, the National Treasurer, Brigadier General SK Usman (rtd) mni and Alhaji Muhammad Nasir Ladan mni, Director of Administration at AANI headquarters, the outgoing Sokoto State chapter chairman, members of his executive committee and other members of the state chapter.
