By Our Reporter

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has paid glowing tribute to the Emir of Lafia and Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, HRH Justice Sidi Dauda Bage Muhammad I, on his 70th birthday, describing him as “an exceptional jurist and a revered traditional ruler.”

In a State House statement issued Monday, June 22, 2026, the President celebrated the monarch’s dual legacy in law and traditional leadership as he marked his 7th year on the throne and his platinum birthday.

Tinubu traced the Emir’s distinguished judicial career from the High Court, to the Court of Appeal, and to the pinnacle as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

He noted that the same “excellence” that marked his time on the bench has defined his reign since ascending the throne of his forebears as the 17th Emir of Lafia on March 26, 2019.

The President recalled that the Emir succeeded Dr. Isa Mustapha Agwai, the 16th Emir, who reigned for over 44 years as one of Nigeria’s longest-serving traditional rulers.

According to Tinubu, the Emir’s reign “has brought fresh ideas to the Lafia Emirate, fostered peace in the kingdom, and advanced justice and national unity.”

He highlighted the monarch’s commitment to interfaith harmony, education, and community development in Nasarawa State.

The President also commended Justice Sidi Bage’s leadership as Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, saying he helped foster harmony within the traditional institution in the state, across the North-Central zone, and beyond.

On the religious front, Tinubu noted the Emir’s role as Grand Khalif for Nasarawa State’s Tijaniyyah Sufi Order, “effectively combining traditional commitments with religious duties.”

The President thanked the Emir “for the support, friendship and spirit of camaraderie” extended to him over the years.

“As you mark your seventh year on the throne and celebrate your platinum birthday, I pray that Almighty Allah will continue to grant Your Royal Highness many more years of good health, wisdom, and service to the people of Lafia and beyond,” Tinubu said.