The Ooni of Ife and Co-Chairman National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has said assigning constitutional roles to traditional rulers would effectively tackle security challenges bedeviling the country.
Speaking on Monday as Guest Speaker/Royal Father during the 2023 Exercise Haski Hiyu Lecture organised by the Armed Forces Command And Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna state, Ooni Ogunwusi said it was high time for constitutional roles were given to the monarchs to enable them make more positive impacts in the security architecture of Nigeria.
Ooni Ogunwusi stressed that there was also the need for the National Assembly to carry out legislation that would provide for the NCTRN with constitutional roles to enable them make more positive impacts in the security architecture of the country.
The royal father emphasised that the high rate of crimes and unending security challenges were as a result of the failure of government to assign specific constitutional roles to the monarchs.
He said, “any nation pushing traditional rulers aside may not prosper”.
According to the monarch, the traditional institution has a vital role to play in the fight against insurgency, banditry and other related crimes in the society due to their closeness to the people.
“We are the closest to the people and we must be constitutionally empowered to work together with government so as to take our country to another level especially on security matters. We were more relevant during pre independence struggle and post independence constitutional democracy up till the end of the first Republic in 1966”, he said.
Ooni Ogunwusi added, “when the colonial people came, they practiced indirect rule in some parts of this country and they could only rule over the citizens through their traditional rulers. In fact, The First Governor of African origin was Ooni Adesoji Aderemi who simultaneously reigned as the King of Ile-Ife and same time governed the old Western Region alongside Late Obafemi Awolowo as the Premier”.
“This was when traditional rulers had constitutional powers. Palace is the focal point. Whenever there is a breakdown of law and order in town, people rushed to the palace. To you the Nigerian gatekeepers, how do you want to do your jobs successfully without traditional instructions? Impossible!”, he said.
Speaking, the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command And Staff College, Jaji Kaduna state, Air Vice Marshal Emmanuel Wunoh lauded Ooni Ogunwusi for honouring their invitation and expressed satisfaction with his speech to the officers of the Nigerian military who were present at the lecture.
Air Vice Marshall Wuno said he was in total agreement with the demad of constitutional roles for Nigerian traditional rulers to effectively complement efforts of the security agencies.
