Nigeria’s Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo has made a case for constitutional roles for traditional rulers across the country in order to stem the ugly tide.
The Vice President was in Delta State for the Thanksgiving ceremony of late Chief Patrick Ideh, aged 95, a nationalist lawyer since 1961.
He made the call when he paid a visit to the Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse 111 and the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Dr Emmanuel Sideso at their palaces in Warri and Uvwie local government areas of Delta State respectively at the weekend
The Vice President who was accompanied by the Delta State Deputy Governor , Barrister Kingsley Otuaro, while speaking at the palace of the Olu of Warri said , the time had come for traditional rulers to play a critical role in tackling the security challenges confronting the nation.
“I have crisscrossed the riverine communities alongside the Delta state Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro to ensure peace in the state, and I noticed that the royal fathers were at the forefront that returned peace to the state.
“About three or four years ago, I and the Deputy Governor of Delta State, have been working to bring down the insecurity we faced in the past.
“We were able to achieve results just because the traditional rulers took it upon themselves to be at the forefront. I think the time we are in also calls for that kind of intervention and I want to appeal to you, your royal majesty to take this on too as a major task because, just as it has been mentioned, our country depends a great deal on oil production,” the Vice President added.
He said that, the nation’s desire was to see that security challenges in Delta State and throughout the country were brought to an end especially in most of the oil-producing communities.
The Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom said that despite their presentations to the National Assembly, the Committee on Constitutional Review paid no attention to the need for a constitutional role for traditional rulers and he therefore appealed to the executive to intervene and commended the Federal Government for the continuous support for the traditional institutions.
Also, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111 commended the Federal Government for its efforts in repositioning the country and he pledged the support of the traditional institutions in supporting the government towards returning peace to the country.
The Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who was represented by his deputy, Otuaro, also joined the Vice President to call for a constitutional role for traditional rulers and noted that the state government administration would leave good legacies behind at the expiration of the tenure in 2023.