Am a good listener, help move Nigeria forward by advising me - Buhari tells monarchs

I’m a good listener, help move
Nigeria forward by advising me –
Buhari tells monarchs
By Sylvester Ugwuanyi on August 26,
2016
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.”