Niger Delta Monarch reiterates constitutional role for
traditional institution
A monarch in Bayelsa,
King Okpoitari Diongoli, on Friday reiterated the call on the federal
government to strengthen the traditional institution by assigning a
constitutional role.
Diongoli repeated the call in a paper titled, "The Role
of Traditional Rulers in Maintaining Peace/ Security in their
Communities", which he delivered at a capacity building workshop in
Yenagoa..
The organised by the
Paramount Rulers Integral (PRI) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
Okpoitari,
traditional ruler of Opokuma Kingdom in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area
argued that giving constitutional role to monarchs would empower them as
symbols of authority and spiritual heads of their domains.
Okpoitari, stated that as number one citizens of their
kingdom, the monarchs have a responsibility to maintain peace and security in
their areas.
He decried the lack
of necessary tools for traditional rulers to carry out their functions
properly.
According to him,
traditional rulers are expected to educate and enlighten their people on
policies and programmes of government, and to interface between their kingdoms
and the authorities.
Okpoitari further
identified poverty, lack of respect for
the traditional rulers by the authorities
and the subjects, poor institutional framework, ruling from exile or by
proxy, among others, as factors affecting the performance of traditional rulers.
He advised them to
operate a transparent and accountable system as well as revive the customs and
traditions of their communities.
"Those not
helpful to the current realities can be done away with"., he advised.
He therefore
advocated for an enhanced welfare and provision of security to enable them work
better.
In his remarks, the chairman of PRI and traditional ruler of
Aduku, Kabowei Kingdom in Sagbama Local Government Area, Chief Emmanuel
Emberru, commended Governor Seriake Dickson for approving their classification.
"I will appeal to us, due to the biting economic
situation in the country, and in Bayelsa in particular, we should allow
government to carry out the process in
phases.
“Giving staff of office, certificates, Justice of Peace (JP)
and being gazette to be carried out in phases", he said.
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