Nigeria, Nov. 11 -- "Assalamu Alaikum, sho wa daada. Oloun yo wa pelu re?" ("Peace be upon you, may Almighty Allah be with you.") Those were the first words I heard from Mai Martaba, the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari (CFR), during an unexpected yet unforgettable encounter.

It was during the Big Sallah celebration. My team from the SAS Foundation had gone to pay the traditional homage to the Emir, as we often do. Unknown to me, my team lead in Kwara had placed a call following a request from Mai Martaba, who wished to speak directly with me. Within moments, I was on the phone with one of Nigeria's most revered traditional rulers, a man who, for three decades, has embodied grace, wisdom, and leadershi...