By John Dikee, Osogbo
Ooni of Ife and Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the House of Representatives Committee on Traditional Institutions for advancing efforts to secure constitutional recognition for traditional rulers in Nigeria.
He gave the commendation when he received members of the House Committee on Traditional Institutions, led by its Chairman, Hon. Abdulmumin Ari Mohammed, at the Ile Oodua Palace, Ile-Ife, on Thursday evening.
The royal father received the delegation alongside prominent traditional rulers from Osun State Council of Obas.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare, the monarch described the legislative initiative as a landmark development capable of restoring the dignity, relevance and constitutional status of traditional institutions in Nigeria.
The Ooni said traditional rulers had remained critical partners of government in maintaining peace, resolving communal conflicts, promoting grassroots development, preserving cultural heritage and providing credible information about developments within their communities.
He therefore expressed appreciation to the Tinubu administration for supporting the process towards the formal recognition of traditional institutions within the Nigerian Constitution.
According to him, the constitutional recognition of traditional rulers would not only give the institution a clearly defined place within the country’s governance structure but would also enable monarchs to contribute more effectively to policy formulation and implementation.
“We are gradually getting to where we are going. Traditional institutions have always supported government agencies and parastatals in maintaining peace, promoting development and preserving our cultural heritage. Yet, for many years, there was no dedicated legislative committee handling matters relating to traditional institutions.
“I want to sincerely thank the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government for ensuring that we are now on the path to constitutional recognition.
“It is a development that gladdens our hearts because traditional rulers will finally have their rightful place in the governance structure of our country.
“I thank God that the bill has made remarkable progress. We are now closer than ever to being constitutionally recognised,” the Ooni said.
The monarch further said that traditional rulers, by virtue of their closeness to the people, are strategically positioned to assist government in confronting some of the country’s most pressing challenges.
He listed insecurity, communal disputes, youth engagement, cultural preservation and grassroots development among areas where traditional rulers could play a more effective role if constitutionally recognised and properly integrated into governance.
Ooni Ogunwusi maintained that traditional institutions remained the closest and most accessible governance structure to the people, stressing that monarchs often possessed first-hand knowledge of happenings within their respective communities.
He said this unique position made traditional rulers indispensable partners in the efforts of government at all levels to promote peace, security and sustainable development.
Earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Traditional Institutions, Hon. Abdulmumin Ari Mohammed, said the delegation was at the palace to brief the Ooni on the progress being made by the National Assembly in repositioning the traditional institution and to seek his royal blessings and support.
Mohammed described traditional rulers as important pillars of Nigeria’s unity, stability and cultural identity, noting that the committee had identified three major areas of priority in its efforts to strengthen the institution.
He said the first priority was the establishment of a National Council for Traditional Institutions Day to celebrate traditional institutions and promote Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.
The second, he explained, was the constitutional establishment of a National Council for Traditional Institutions, while the third was aimed at ensuring the formal integration of traditional rulers into governance processes at both federal and state levels.
The lawmaker said the proposed reforms were driven by the recognition that traditional rulers remained strategically positioned to provide government with reliable information from the grassroots.
“As traditional rulers, you are the ones holding the pillars of Nigeria. We are here to inform Your Majesty about the work we have been doing and the contributions of this committee.
“We believe that when traditional rulers are carried along, government will have direct access to credible information from the grassroots.
“Their absence from critical governance discussions is a great loss because they remain the closest institution to the people.
“Our goal is to ensure that traditional institutions occupy their rightful place within Nigeria’s constitutional framework,” he said.
Mohammed disclosed that the proposed legislation had already scaled second reading in the House of Representatives and had subsequently been referred to the House Committee on Traditional Institutions for further legislative consideration.
He said the successful passage of the bill through second reading represented a significant step in the ongoing effort to give traditional institutions a defined constitutional role.
According to him, the next stage would involve extensive public hearings across the country, where traditional rulers, cultural stakeholders and representatives of the various states and communities would be given the opportunity to make contributions.
He said the public hearings would ensure that the final constitutional provisions reflected Nigeria’s cultural diversity and addressed the peculiarities of traditional institutions across the country.
“The bill has now passed second reading and has been referred to our committee. We will commence public hearings across the country to give every community and state the opportunity to present their views.
“Those contributions will help us produce a comprehensive constitutional framework that reflects Nigeria’s diversity and strengthens our traditional institutions,” he added.
The visit and the Ooni’s endorsement of the legislative initiative are expected to further strengthen collaboration between the National Assembly and traditional rulers as efforts continue to define a more formal constitutional role for traditional institutions in Nigeria.
