Buhari Faults non-Inclusion of Traditional Rulers in Nigerian Constitution
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday saw the need for traditional rulers to be included in the country’s constitution, in view of their relevance to the entire polity.
Buhari, who stated when he received the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II at the State House in Abuja, that, he wondered why those who authored the Constitution failed to recognize traditional institutions in the country.
“I know and respect the traditional institution. I try as much as possible to understand why the authors of our Constitution kept silent about their role,” he said.
Welcoming Ewuare’s delegation which included the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and chiefs from other parts of Edo State, Buhari commended the monarch for following the footsteps of his predecessor while reiterating his support for the traditional institution.
He noted that Nigerians have reasons to be proud of the stabilising roles Benin chiefs had played right from the colonial era to the current period, not only in the Delta region but the entire country.
The President specifically singled out the role of the immediate past Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa I, whom he described as his “back bone of support” when he was Federal Commissioner of Petroleum Resources and the late monarch was a Federal Permanent Secretary.
“I cannot hold back my emotions, talking about my relationship with your predecessor. After General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated, I was moved from the North-East as governor to Ministry of Petroleum. Your father was then Permanent Secretary. My relationship with him was very strong. I have lost count of the number of visits to his palace as Oba,” he added.
In his remarks, the Oba of Benin praised the president over his administration’s commitment to address the security challenges facing the country.
He however urged the President to walk his talks to the people of the state, noting that he has yet to provide infrastructure development, security, human trafficking as well as the completion of the Benin-Auchi road as promised.
The Oba of Benin also tasked Buhari to champion the inclusion of traditional rulers in the country’s constitution, stressing that they play crucial role in stabilising the country.
His words: “Mr. President, what you are yet to do for us includes the areas of more infrastructural development, security, human trafficking and to complete Benin-Auchi road dualization.
“Human trafficking incidents are not reducing, what NGOs (Non Governmental Organisations) are doing is merely palliative and at best scratching the surface. Some NGOs may even be in business for themselves.”
“The Federal Government needs to assist Edo state to develop low to medium scale cluster industries or establish factories in each Local Government Areas, to reduce unemployment and prompt urban to rural migration in order to decongest the centre for a very holistic development in Edo state.”
“We commend your Excellency in the manner you have been handling security issues in the country. In Edo state, security issues seemed to be multidimensional. In addition to the prevailing criminal activities of cultist killings, kidnappings etc, the activities of the so-called community development associations are crippling the economy of our state even much more.”
“The Benin traditional authority has been relentlessly tackling the menace of community development associations that earned for themselves the disreputable name of community destructive associations.”
“These networks of groups attack and are systematically destroying the normative and value system of our society and heritage. Their evil practices scare investors away.”
Stressing the need to support Edo State in addressing its security challenges, the monarch said, “Our governor and the people of Edo state need more support from the Federal Government to effectively and decisively tackle the security challenges in our state.”
“May I use this opportunity to appeal to your Excellency to kindly assist our state governor in dealing with the security challenges in the state.”
“Finally, traditional rulers in the country play stabilising and developmental roles in the country particularly when there is crisis brewing at the grassroots. It is sad that the role of traditional rulers is yet to be reflected in the constitution of the country.”
“Nigeria is a country strongly rooted in cultural blues and norms. May I use this opportunity to reassure government that traditional institutions will be used to strengthen the unity and development of Nigeria.”
“The traditional institution will encourage Nigerians to go on with one Nigeria. We intend to continue to use culture to foster Nigeria’s image both in Nigeria and in the comity of nations,” he added.
Subscribe for the new edition now
Do you need to be heard? Or your articles published? Send your views, messages, articles or press release to: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk >>> We can cover your (LAW) events at the first Call: 08039218044, 08024004726
