Governors back constitutional role for traditional rulers

By Adeola Ogunrinde –

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have expressed support for granting constitutional roles to traditional rulers across the country. The governors made the call at the meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), held in Lagos.

The meeting, themed “The Traditional Institution: The Imperative of Its Inclusion in the Effective and Efficient Governance in Nigeria,” brought together 10 governors and royal fathers from across the country to deliberate on the constitutional relevance of traditional leadership in modern governance.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, Uzodinma said traditional rulers remain the most enduring link between government and the people and must be formally recognised within Nigeria’s governance framework. He noted that traditional rulers continue to promote peace, cohesion, and stability despite the lack of constitutional backing.

The governor recalled that traditional rulers once had defined roles in the country’s early constitutional order, citing the 1963 Republican Constitution, which granted them legislative participation. He lamented that subsequent constitutions, including those of 1979 and 1999, failed to restore such recognition, urging the National Assembly to revisit the issue.

Uzodinma added that many African countries, including Ghana, South Africa, and Namibia, have constitutionally entrenched their traditional institutions without undermining democracy. He described the traditional institution as indispensable to Nigeria’s unity and stability, calling for legal backing for the roles traditional rulers already perform.

In his welcome address, Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos was honoured to host an assembly of cultural custodians whose wisdom continues to uphold the nation’s moral fabric. He described the meeting as timely and reaffirmed that traditional institutions have always served as the trusted bridge between the people and government.

Sanwo-Olu recounted the historical contributions of monarchs such as Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi of Benin, King Jaja of Opobo, and Chief Ogedengbe of Ilesha, who resisted colonial domination. He said military intervention weakened traditional systems but noted that democracy provides an opportunity for restoration.

Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the NCTRN, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, commended President Tinubu for his commitment to national unity and expressed optimism that the discussions would lead to stronger institutional recognition for traditional rulers. The event was attended by the governors of Ekiti, Edo, Imo, Cross River, Kogi, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Katsina, as well as prominent monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade; and the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Shotobi.