The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. – Gen. Faruk Yahaya, has commended traditional rulers in the country for their fatherly roles in matters affecting national security and the corporate existence of the country.
Yahaya gave the commendation when Oba Ahmed Oyelude, the Olowu of Okuta in Osun, paid a courtesy call on the COAS in his office at the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja.
This is contained in a statement personally signed by Oba Oyelude on the visit and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Osogbo.
Oba Oyelude quoted Yahaya as pledging the renewed commitment of the armed forces to peaceful coexistence of Nigerians.
The Chief of Army Staff was also quoted to have lauded traditional rulers for rising above primordial sentiments on matters of national unity.
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The COAS noted that the tremendous supports of the royal fathers had gone a long way in mitigating security challenges in different parts of the country.
He also commended the consistent efforts of the Olowu of Okuta in supporting the military and security forces in the country, saying his efforts of building bridges of understanding among Nigerians were worthy of emulation.
Yahaya urged Oba Oyelude to intensify efforts at making the traditional institutions reliable partners in the Nigerian project, particularly the need to ensure citizens’ commitment to patriotism, socio-economic and cultural integration of her vast populations.
The Chief of Army Staff also said that the Nigerian Army would continue to discharge its constitutional duties professionally and dispassionately for the benefits of all Nigerians.
In his remarks, Oba Oyelude said that he was at the Army Headquarters to congratulate the Chief of Army Staff over his well-deserved appointment.
The traditional ruler said his competence and experience would come in handy in the discharge of his duties.
Oba Oyelude promised to rally other traditional rulers’ support for government policies and programmes that would guarantee the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians and be in the vanguard of ideas that would continue to secure the country from internal and external threats.
He called for more support for the Nigerian Army and advocated more synergy and cooperation among the military for peace, unity, security and development of the nation. (NAN)