Leadership (Abuja)
Louis Achi
7 January 2009
analysis
Last weekend in Owa-Oyibu, Delta State, the Emir of Borgu Kingdom of Niger State, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro Kitoro (CON), canvassed constitutional role for traditional rulers in the country to be able to 'tap from the vast potential of the traditional institutions'.LOUIS ACHI examines the royals' continuing quest and writes that while the Emir's latest pitch is not novel or illegitimate, the royal fathers' historical role as guardians of tradition may potentially conflict with their constitutional inclusion in the current republican environment of a presidential democracy...
That his passionate appeal to the federal government came at the penumbra of another constitutional review project says something for the innate political sense and awareness of royal folks who are often not given such credit.
As it were, during a visit to the Obi of Owa, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor JP (OON), at Owa-Oyibu, the Emir of Borgu Kingdom in Niger State called on the federal government to end the the constitutional exclusion of traditional rulers in the national scheme of things. The royal father, who was on tour of the South-East zone of the country also condemned the recent Jos crisis, observing it would have been nipped in the bud if the government had given traditional rulers constitutional powers. The obviously miffed royal father decried the situation where monarchs were used as the last resort after government had exhausted all available means of checking crises.
Beyond the Emir of Borgu's latest campaign, one of the most articulate and boldest voices for the constitutional inclusion of the royals in recent times is the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa'ad Abubakar III. Perhaps, being a retired major-general of the Nigerian Army positions him to shoot from the hips. He demonstrated this knack recently. "It is not only when there are problems that we are consulted. I have made this point before and I will continue to make it and we all are going to make it until the National Assembly amends the constitution to involve traditional rulers in the affairs of this country because this country belongs to all of us." The enduring dilemma of the traditional rulers in the polity couldn't have been more succinctly captured.
As it were, the long-running quest by the nation's traditional rulers for a constitutional role in affairs of the state is a long, memorable one. Often seen as simultaneously straddling the past and the future, these enduring symbols and guardians of culture and tradition have been successively exploited by politicians - both civilians and military.
In 2007, President Umaru Yar'Adua gave a clear indication that end of the royals' wilderness years was around the corner. Addressing four top traditional rulers in the country comprising the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade; Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero; Emir of Zau Zau, Shehu Idris and Emir of Daura, Umar Farouk, at the State House, the president said he had "at various times pledged that we will find constitutional role for our traditional institutions and leaders when we undertake a review of the constitution. We shall propose and place again before the National Assembly as an amendment to provide for the National Council of Traditional Rulers.
"I want to place on record that the contributions you have been making can not be quantified and I want to assure you that as our royal fathers we shall continue in accord and provide you with the opportunity to make input into the enacting and evolution of good policies to improve the quality of governance." As it were, Yar'Adua's pledge while firmly hemmed in by the royals at Aso Rock is not novel.
It could be recalled that during his speech at the golden anniversary celebration of His Royal Majesty, Aliyu Mustapha, the Lamido of Adamawa, former President Olusegun Obasanjo hinted that the role of traditional rulers should be recognised in the constitution. Perhaps moved by the royal pomp and grandeur, he submitted that those who wished the demise of these venerable institutions should rethink their position, and further held that the royals had an important role to play in the social, economic and cultural lives of their people.
Notwithstanding the unseemly warts and pimples that are widely perceived to have blackened the face of Nigeria's traditional rulers against the background of their thinly disguised foray into real-politicks, advocates of constitutional roles for them believe they are still important in the nation's quest for political stability. Former head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan shores up this position when at a book launch he stated that Nigeria can only move forward if her cultural heritage forms the foundation of the nation's political system.
Without question, the switch from parliamentary to presidential constitution swept away many institutions, but certainly not the traditional institution. Even after the abrogation of the first parliamentary constitution in January 1966, the royals have continued in their role as guardians of culture and tradition of their communities. This scenario throws up several critical question.
What are the cultural roles the traditional rulers can not play without constitutional recognition? Must such roles be entrenched in the constitution for them to be relevant to the nation's life as Shonekan appears to suggest? A common consensus, though not one to put smiles on the royals' faces, is that they still can be relevant without any constitutional underpinning of their roles, especially given the fear that it could dangerously politicise the institution and position them as parallel executives, aberrations in the extant democratic milieu.
A Bit of History...
The practice of parliamentary system of government in the First Republic, made constitutional provisions for traditional rulers in the political affairs of the country. As it were, the parliamentary system which established Regional Houses of Chiefs, allowed the royals to participate in politics. It was not therefore surprising that the Regional Houses of Chiefs had royal folks like Sir Muhammadu Sanusi, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Usman Nagogo, Emir of Katsina, the Makama of Bida, and the Ooni of Ife, Sir Adesoji Aderemi. Following the crisis that broke in the old Western Region, which culminated in the declaration of a state of emergency in the region by the late Sir Tafawa Balewa-led Federal Government, many royal fathers took up political appointment in the emergency government headed by its Sole Administrator, Dr. Moses Majekodunmi.
Pivoting on the suspension of all members of the Western Region's government, Majekodunmi had named six royal fathers as commissioners whom he appointed to work with him. The Obas, named as commissioners, to assist the Sole Administrator in the running of the affairs of the State were: the Oba of Benin, Akenzua II, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Rewogboye II, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Akinyele, the Olu of Warri, Oba Erejuwa II and the Olu of Iwo, Oba S.O. Abimbola.
This marked the gradual but systematic involvement of traditional rulers in partisan politics. It is instructive to note that given the very turbulent and charged political atmosphere in the old Western Region, it would have been most appropriate if the Balewa's government after its declaration of a State of Emergency had insulated royal fathers from the political crossfire of the time.
But as some political analysts noted "the appointment of traditional rulers like Oba Akinzua II, Oba Sikiru Adetona Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Akinyele and Olu of Warri, Oba Erejuwa II as members of the Region's Executive Council as Commissioners, further enmeshed them in regional partisan politics, making them seemingly ineffective in the discharge of their primary role as custodians of culture and tradition."
Reforms...
Some four years ago, while receiving a visiting Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe to Aso Rock, ex-President Obasanjo observed that traditional rulers possessed the capacity to make themselves relevant in certain spheres of the nation's life, adding that giving constitutional roles to the royals would impact positively on the nation's development. Opposing views on the matter hold strongly that traditional rulers have become too politicised and might constitute parallel executive or legislative bodies which is out of synch with a modern presidential democracy.
Even before the current constitutional review project in the works, a presidential committee on the review of the 1999 constitution actually recommended a constitutional role for traditional rulers. In the first volume of the review body's main report it recommended that, "constitutional recognition be given to the role of traditional rulers." It further noted that "traditional rulers all over the country made a strong case for the constitutional recognition of their role which they had been playing right from the pre-colonial times. They questioned the rationale for excluding their role from the constitution whereas previous constitutions duly recognised them."
However, submissions in the report which opposed the constitutional inclusion of traditional institution in a fast changing republican environment argued that even Britain which is deeply rooted in monarchical traditions was fast shedding the influence of traditional institution which the people considered an undeserved burden on the tax payers.
Apparently exploring middle-ground options the report maintained that "provision should be made for the establishment of state councils of traditional rulers as an advisory body in all states of the federation, "recommending that provision be made for traditional council at each local government of the federation to serve as an advisory body on matters of tradition and culture. "These roles in no way confer executive, legislative or judicial function on them," the report held.
The stridency in calls for the abolition of the traditional kingship system considerably scaled up during the regime of General Sani Abacha when the late dictator effectively used majority of the traditional rulers to advance his self-succession bid. Strangely, as Nigeria's recent history would appear to confirm, traditional rulers seem to find great relevance during military dictatorships. They became ready, willing tools used to suppress dissent by fooling their people that the military meant well, thereafter becoming enthusiastic recipients of mouth-watering largesse delivered periodically by the soldiers in power.
Many analysts view the clamour for the statutory recognition of a constitutionally sanctioned role for Nigeria's multiplying royals, courtesy the creation of yet more autonomous communities, as a weighty issue. Beyond the position of many Nigerians that the office of traditional rulers be treated with due respect they balk at the prospect of assigning constitutional roles that will make them another tier in a republican democracy.
Currently, many prominent traditional rulers are perceived to be already treading the forbidden partisan political pathway, by their deliberate pronouncements, actions and inactions. Will Yar'Adua's pledge as well as others before him complicate or clarify matters? Big question.
An Unending Quest...
If former President Obasanjo has shown appropriate respect for the royals by his bland campaigns to return them from their current constitutional Siberia, this crop of wily folks believe that the best messengers in their quest are themselves. HRM Igwe Dr Lawrence Arinze, the Obi of Enugwu-Adazi Kingdom in Anambra State captures this mindset in a recent letter to a national daily:
"The ongoing process of restructuring the local government system in Nigeria provides a good opportunity for assigning specific responsibilities to traditional rulers in the socio- economic and cultural life of this great country. It can not be over-emphasised that traditional rulers are better positioned to maintain peace and security in their various domains. Also because of their overwhelming influence and exercise of moral control on their subjects, they remain the most reliable medium for consultation and dialogue in times of ethnic and national strife and instability. I, therefore call on our lawmakers and executive to join hands in ensuring the entrenchment of specific role for traditional rulers in our constitution."
If Igwe Arinze leaned heavily on reasoned logic, the Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade was more down to earth. At a recent meeting in Kaduna, by all traditional rulers to deliberate on ways of restoring harmony in the wake of the recent disturbances, the Oni held that the military deliberately left out a constitutional role for the traditional rulers in bad faith with the hidden agenda of setting the civilian government on a "head-on collision," with the royals. Whereas HRH Eze Frank Ekeh, the Eze Gbakagbaka of Rivers state described as an "ominous omission," the absence of a constitutional role for traditional rulers, His Highness, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti reminded Nigerians that unlike the democratic rulers whose tenures were fixed the royals were here for life. Bringing his eminent stature to the choir, the late Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido noted that so far as governance was too important a business to be left to government officials alone, it was wrong for traditional rulers to assume that because they had no constitutional role they should adopt a "siddon look" stance.
The Future...
Yar'Adua's lifeline to the royals certainly introduces a fresh new dimension to an age-old quest. But instead of ending, the story apparently begins. But beyond His Highness, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti's lofty reminder to Nigerians that unlike the democratic rulers whose tenures were fixed the royals were there for life, a position which may not be satisfactory to many of his peers, many observers hold that traditional institutions are for the most part exclusionary. They question what role such a feudalistic institution which is antithetical to the democratic process can play in the current context without compromising the objectives of equality before the law.
In what appears a trade-off that does not yield significant ground and may not satisfy the royals, many public issue analysts further submit that in order to protect the cultural and symbolic value of the traditional institution, traditional rulers should be kept away from the destructive politics that have shrouded the country. They posit that it is for the communities that owe allegiance to traditional rulers to ensure that they are treated with respect and dignity and also be prepared to maintain them to a level they adjudge commensurate to their socio-economic and cultural relevance.
As the society evolves, new perceptions are also beginning to emerge concerning traditional rulers and tradition itself. One school of thought holds that important as they are as custodians of particular cultures, traditional rulers by themselves do not constitute the culture, asserting that the culture of the people will remain even when the monarch is removed. For the anxious royals who wait in the wings as the debate that may shape their fate unfolds, the coming months and years may remove the current haze hanging over their future.
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