A newly established committee comprising state governors and traditional rulers and charged with formulating recommendations for a bill aimed at creating a National Council of Traditional Rulers, has been given the marching order to submit its report in four weeks time.
Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, who briefed State House Correspondents after the maiden dialogue between the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the traditional rulers held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, explained that the initiative is a reflection of the growing recognition of the vital role traditional leaders can play in enhancing security at the grassroots.
The 15-member committee, chaired by Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, will work to harmonise various recommendations that clarify the responsibilities of traditional rulers in community policing and safety.
Abiodun disclosed that participants at the meeting, which came at the instance of the NGF, emphasized the need for effective community policing through improved intelligence sharing between local authorities and traditional institutions across the country.
He highlighted the importance of incorporating feedback from both Governors and traditional rulers into a framework that would ensure that the forthcoming document reflects the aspirations of the communities they represent.
“We agreed that a joint committee of Governors and our traditional rulers should be set up, and that committee should seek to ensure that the various remarks and comments that were made from those that are here present and reflect the desires of those that they represent, should be included to make for a robust document,” Governor Abiodun said.
He explained that what has been gathered so far and would be further gathered from their dialogues would be synthesised so that whatever document is eventually presented to the National Assembly would be a very comprehensive one.
“It would also be an inclusive document that seeks to empower our royal majesties and highnesses more and involve them in governance, peace and security of our various states across the country, including the FCT,” Abiodun stated.
When asked about the timeline for this initiative, Abiodun confirmed that the committee has been given four to six weeks to complete its assignment and submit their findings before the next scheduled meeting.
“Based on the terms of reference, they’ve been given the next four to six weeks to complete the assignment and submit it before the next meeting,” he said.
Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, expressed his appreciation of the Forum’s invitation to the National Council of Traditional Rulers, led by the Sultan of Sokoto and co-chaired by the Ooni of Ife, enthusing that the “unprecedented” joint meeting marks a significant step towards collaboration between Governors and traditional institutions.
The traditional ruler disclosed that discussions at the meeting focused on the challenge of consensually defining the constitutional roles of traditional rulers in governance, adding that he personally presented a memo regarding a bill submitted to the National Assembly, which is aimed at amending the 1999 Constitution to clarify the structure and functions of traditional institutions, including tenure, security and insulation from partisan politics.
The Etsu Nupe emphasised that adequate funding is crucial for these institutions to effectively address social, political, economic, and security challenges facing Nigeria, assuring that with the wealth of experience from retired professionals in traditional leadership, there is adequate capacity among traditional rulers to lead their communities right.
This development comes on the heels of a significant legislative milestone earlier this month when a bill seeking to establish a National Council of Traditional Rulers successfully passed its first reading in the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong of Plateau South, the National Council of Traditional Rulers (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 546) aims to define constitutional roles for traditional institutions to better address pressing national challenges.
Lalong, a former Governor of Plateau State and Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, has long advocated integrating traditional rulers into Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
The proposed legislation seeks to empower these leaders with constitutional responsibilities to tackle issues such as insecurity, peace-building and inter-community disputes.
