Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, Ambassador Ahmed Olatunji Sulu-Gambari, has formally assumed his diplomatic duties after presenting his Letters of Credence to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, in a ceremony that reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and growing cooperation between both nations.
The credential presentation ceremony took place on Tuesday at the Singgahsana Kecil, Istana Negara (National Palace) in Kuala Lumpur, where Ambassador Sulu-Gambari was received with full diplomatic and ceremonial honours, including a General Salute mounted by the Royal Guard. He was accompanied by the First Secretary and Head of Chancery, Ms. Onyinye Maryjane Nwefuru.
The ceremony also featured the accreditation of ambassadors and high commissioners-designate from the Republic of Albania, Brunei Darussalam, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Türkiye and the Republic of Mauritius, underscoring Malaysia’s commitment to diplomatic engagement with the international community.
During the audience with the Malaysian monarch, Ambassador Sulu-Gambari conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He expressed appreciation for the opportunity to formally present his credentials and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening the longstanding cordial relations between Abuja and Kuala Lumpur through enhanced cooperation in diplomacy, trade, investment and cultural exchange.
Responding, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim fondly recalled his longstanding acquaintance and cordial interactions with Nigerians, describing the relationship between the two countries as one built on enduring friendship, mutual goodwill and respect. The Malaysian monarch also expressed his desire to undertake an official visit to Nigeria, signalling confidence in the expanding bilateral partnership.
A memorable highlight of the audience was the King’s admiration for Ambassador Sulu-Gambari’s distinctive traditional Nigerian attire, which opened discussions on promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and strengthening people-to-people relations through cultural diplomacy. The Nigerian envoy pledged to pursue initiatives that would translate the discussions into concrete cultural and diplomatic programmes in the near future.
His Majesty congratulated Ambassador Sulu-Gambari on his appointment as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Malaysia and wished him a successful, productive and fulfilling tour of duty.
The presentation of the Letters of Credence officially marks the commencement of Ambassador Sulu-Gambari’s tenure in Malaysia and is expected to further consolidate the strong diplomatic, economic and cultural ties between Nigeria and Malaysia.
