On Monday 24th of January, Traditional Rulers from all the geo-political zones in the country, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, visited President Goodluck Jonathan. The purpose of the visit by the traditional rulers was to discuss security of the nation and the need to use the rulers to foster greater national unity. While appealing to the traditional rulers to work with the government to achieve security, stability and unity, President Jonathan informed them that he has forwarded a bill to the National Assembly to give constitutional backing to their roles as custodians of traditions and customs of the people. The traditional rulers reportedly welcomed the initiative to give them a greater say in the nation’s affairs through legislation.
The efforts to involve our traditional rulers in additional activities, over and above what they are already involved in, is fraught with many dangers, and although the demand for this is neither new nor strange, it is important that its implications are made clear both to the rulers and the public. Our traditional rulers have legally-defined roles and functions in all States of the Federation in all our States, and they are recognized as custodians of our culture and traditions, and they have defined advisory roles in their relationship with State Governments. They have important powers to appoint and remove lower-level traditional rulers, settle community disputes, advise on security issues and generally provide the type of leadership which has its own values and standards that are consistent with our cultures. Many prominent traditional rulers play key roles in organizations such as National Religious Council (NIREC), and are routinely consulted by Governors and even by Presidents on matters of national security and development. They serve in Councils of Chiefs, and many have appointments as Pro-Chancellors of our Universities.
Our Traditional Rulers are therefore neither idle nor irrelevant. They do precisely what traditional rulers do in a democratic setting; which is to anchor our cultural values around their persons and offices, provide sources of mobilization, enlightenment and unity for their people, and add considerable weight to the efforts to provide security and achievement of peace. During political conflicts and crises, traditional rulers generally provide sources of comfort and bridges across conflicting groups.
The clamour to give traditional rulers legislated powers beyond these roles can only mean one thing, and this is to involve them more directly in political, and therefore, partisan activities. This is dangerous for the nation, and even more dangerous for the institution. Our system of government has no roles for anyone who is not elected on the basis of competitive, partisan politics except for traditional rulers who assume important positions on a hereditary basis, and who are, by law and by tradition, insulated from partisan politics. When traditional rulers ask for greater involvement in the scheme of things, we have to ask exactly what they want. Politicians are very jealous people, and they will resist any incursion into their terrain by traditional rulers. Do they want to make laws for citizens, which is the responsibility of legislators? Do they want to implement laws and execute programmes and projects, which is the responsibility of the President, Governors and Local Government Councils Do they want to exercise judicial responsibilities, which is the role of the judiciary? Do they want more involvement in security administration and management than they already have? Do they want more powers to administer, or participate in selection of people into key positions, all of which are being done by other institutions which are empowered to do so by law?
Mr. President has not disclosed the contents or the purpose of the bill he sent to give constitutional backing to the roles of traditional rulers, other than that it will enhance their roles as custodians of the tradition and customs of their people. If this is all the bill will do, Mr. President is best advised not to bother, because every Nigerian already recognizes traditional rulers as custodians of our traditions and customs. If the bill seeks to give them powers beyond this, the National Assembly will be advised not to pass the bill. If the traditional rulers fail to see the possibility that they are being used by politicians on the eve of important elections, Nigerians will remind them to be wary of intimate relations with politicians. The timing of this visit, and its publicized purpose is at best suspect. If traditional rulers want to visit President Jonathan to discuss national security and unity, many people will ask how effective they have been, either individually, or through NIREC, the Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs or Christian Association of Nigeria in dealing with the problems of Jos or Borno or the Niger Delta? In many of these conflicts, traditional rulers have been part of the problems, rather than the solutions. Many of our Royal fathers are already neck deep in the political affairs of their States or communities and many are fast losing their respect as neutral fathers in bitter political conflicts. Instead of being agents of unity, many of them have become sources of bitter and prolonged division, and their appointments or conduct while in office have pitched their communities against each other. If traditional rulers want to be more involved in politics, they should join politics. Otherwise, they should distance themselves from partisan politics.
The most effective strategy for preserving our traditional institutions as custodians of our culture and tradition is to isolate them from the negative influences of a developing democracy such as ours which tends towards involving every person, institution or value into the contest for power. There is no scope for expanding the influence of traditional rulers without exposing them more to a process which will erode their already threatened roles of traditional fathers who should be above political partisanship. A government that gives them the impression that it can do this may only be using them. They should be able to see this, as enlightened rulers, and steer clearly away from the current political maneuvers for the April 2011 elections
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