Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has solicited the cooperation of Nigerian traditional rulers in Nigeria for the promotion of unity and fight against insecurity.
He said even though they may not be involved in partisan politics, traditional rulers cannot exclude themselves in politics if Nigeria should move forward.
According to him, the present administration would not ignore traditional rulers as President Bola Tinubu “is a creative thinker” who is “willing and ready to recalibrate the country to prosperity.”
Uzodinma said these in Abuja during a maiden meeting with 15 members of the Southern Traditional Rulers Council led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ọjájá II), Dein of Agbor, Dr. Benjamin Ikenchukwu, and Obi of Obinugwu, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya.
Other monarchs in attendance are the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Adewole; Eze E.C. Okeke, Eze Imo of Imo State; Oba Aladetonyibo Alalelusi, Deji of Akure; King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, King Jaja of Opobo, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, Obong of Calabar; Oba Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, Alara of Ilara, Lagos State; and Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi Elegushi of Ikate Land, Lagos.
The meeting was also attended by Oba Sulaimon Adekunle Bamgbade, Olofin of Isheri and Adimula of Awori Kingdoms; Oba Adesegun Bolaji Alowonle, Elemuren of Emuren Remo, Ogun State; Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, Olojudo of Ido Ekiti; Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, Oore of Otun-Ekiti and Paramount Ruler of Moba Land, Ekiti State and Oba Nurudeen Osoja, Onikogbo of Ikogbo, Ogun State.
Uzodinma said traditional rulers represent the symbol and image of Nigeria, while the government is committed to partnering with them in order to have a united Nigeria.
He said, “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the efforts you are making to form a formidable team, because we are brothers. I commend your beliefs in the unity of the country, because if the country is not united, there will be no country.
“There is no how there will be peace and stability if the traditional rulers are not part and parcel of the process. When I heard that you were willing to help, it is partnership it is not partisan politics. Partisan politics is different from politics. Nigeria has gotten to a stage that one man can no longer rule the country, it has to be through collective efforts.
“The traditional rulers as a matter of fact have a primary role if the unity and political stability in the country must be achieved. That is why some of us have argued strongly that the constitutional roles will be given to the traditional rulers, so that they can help. They have to partner with the political class. It is give and take. No one sector can do it alone because Nigeria is very large.
“The issue of diversity was what led to the amalgamation in 1914. But Lord Lugard brought the policy of amalgamation to make administration easy for him.
“The prosperity we are looking at can only come if we get the buy in of every sector of the country and we begin to work together to appreciate the need for political cohesion, integration and unity that will drive a credible economic prosperity.
“So I’m very happy you have taken the bull by the horn. Without sounding immodest, we have a government, you can see how the whole issues in the country, insecurity, all types of criminality, kidnapping, banditry, quasi-terrorism has held this country for the past couple of years to ransom. So, if we must cure this menace, we must start from the roots. The landlords of the country are the traditional rulers.
“So, they say, charity begins at home. So you have to partner with the government. It doesn’t matter which political party, a government is a government, and it is a government of a country and we are practicing democracy and democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. Who are the people? There is nobody called people without the traditional rulers.
“So once you are there and you are busy, without practicing partisan politics, you are royal majesties, your title is synonymous with excellence. You can’t be excellent if there is kidnapping as the order of the day in the country, you can’t be excellent if, every day, people cannot even pack their vehicles, go in and meet the vehicle on that path.
“So don’t sit back, let nobody deceive you, you represent the symbol of our country, you represent the image of our country.”
Governor Uzodinma said since community security and vigilante arrangements start with traditional rulers, they cannot be ignored.
He said, “I invite you not to shy away from your responsibilities. Identify with the government of the day. You are like barracks, soldier come, soldier goes, barracks still remain. Any President that comes to the country will work with you, don’t shy away from it, and don’t be afraid to speak the truth because you are Royal Highnesses, you are known for the truth, you are known for boldness, you are known for courage. We know the sacrifices you make.
“We are interested, this government, the Federal Government of Nigeria, is interested to partner with traditional rulers to have a united Nigeria. We are not going to ignore traditional rulers. The president we have today is a creative thinker. He is willing and ready to recalibrate the country to prosperity. We support you.
“Please partner and support the government to solve the problem of insecurity, to strengthen the unity of the country and then create a good economy for our people.
“The natural endowment in this country is enough for every citizen of this country to be comfortable. It is the mistakes of the past, but I think enough is enough. Don’t be complacent, don’t relax. Come out and partner with the political class without primordial sentiments or partisan interest. But let us be on record that once you take any matter to a traditional ruler, the justice of the case must be seen.”
The Dein of Agbor, Dr. Benjamin Ikenchukwu, told ARISE NEWS that fighting insecurity is a collective responsibility.
He said, “We discussed security and obviously what’s going on in the country. We are going back to where we were before. As they say, as it was in the beginning, so it shall be in the end. I would like to thank the Oni of Ife and Obi of Obinugwu for arranging this really brilliant session with the Imo State Governor.
“We’d like to thank the Imo State Governor himself for hosting us and by God’s grace the Southern Traditional Rulers will stand up to the job. We’ll do what we’ve always done which is to stand for our people and to talk on behalf of our people but now we’re going to do it more collectively.”
The Ooni of Ife recalled that before independence, Nigeria was governed well while structures were out right.
He said, “But we realised that the better we come together for the betterment of our people even our various subjects in the political class and arena, we need to guide them and guard them right because we are closer to our people and we know the challenges we are having in our country vis a vis the challenges we are having in Southern Nigeria.
“We want to try as much as possible to form a strong and formidable force and we have come to stay and we are not particular about hierarchy or any structure or things that will divide us. We are not after that. What we are after is for us to come together and we will be very apolitical because we won’t be driven by politics but any of our political leaders that believe in our dream.
We want to thank you (Uzodinma) for the push, we want to thank you for everything you have been doing and the unalloyed support to your party and also to the nation because the nation is greater than everybody. We are traditional rulers first, before politics. Nigeria and the togetherness of our country is of paramount importance to us and that is the reason why we have all come together like the way our ancestors and our forebears developed very strongly.
“There was the Eastern Traditional Council and Western Council of Traditional Rulers, we have come back to those days, together we stand and we stand for good and nothing will shake us.
“What we believe is we should take Nigeria beyond any political difference, religious difference, beyond any cultural diversity. Our unity is much paramount to us and that’s why we are the closest to the people.
“You can play your politics, we are not interested in it. What we are interested mostly in is the unity of the country and we don’t want any thing to polarise our coming together as Southern Nigeria.”
Friday Olokor, Abuja
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