As the clamour for constitutional roles for traditional rulers heightens, Dr. Danladi Bako, a former Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, has said traditional rulers are stabilising factors “with or without constitutional roles”.
Bako, the Kogunan Sokoto, made his position on the traditional institution known to the News Agency of Nigeria.
In an interview on Sunday in Abuja, he said that traditional rulers would always be relevant in the society.
He said: “The way the country is structured politically, politicians will not want to give an inch of power to another set of people.
“Politicians love to always be in charge.
“The constitution says all traditional rulers should report to their local government chairmen.
“And you know that a state governor may have his favourite local government chairman.
“If you bring the traditional ruler to a level where he is richer or more constitutionally empowered, the governors may begin to worry.
“Such worry may be that the format or process of becoming a traditional ruler is not as democratic as contesting an election.
“In their own case, 11 or five kingmakers will make the selection.
“And, sometimes, it is not the best brains that become the traditional ruler.
“There is no sort of competition.
“They don’t have tenure, so giving them constitutional roles may be a challenge.
“When they stay there for 20 years and see four different governors come and go and you give them constitutional power, some of the governors may find a way to undermine them or both of them may want to undermine each other.
“With or without constitutional roles, the advantages of traditional rulers are many.
“They are stabilising factors in the society.
“They also serve as leaders in social engineering.
“They settle issues that have to do with tradition, land, culture, marriages, divorce, etc.”
The Kogunan Sokoto said that politicians don’t feel comfortable with people who do not have tenure, adding that the moment you introduce roles, people will begin to fight fiercely for that position.
According to Bako: “It is going to be a major challenge if you allow traditional rulers to begin to contest politically because people are going to destroy the system.
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“Where they are now, they earn respect and people rever them.
“If given constitutional roles, it may help in terms of validation of what they do in terms of security, local terrain, etc.
“When you are a traditional ruler, you are brought up in royalty, justice, fairness, equity and humility.
“Once you are trained in them, the honour is there.”
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