The Emir of Potiskum in Yobe State, Alhaji Umaru Bubaram Ibn Wuriwa Bauya has urged the National Assembly to recognize the traditional institutions in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so as to ensure proper checks on security situation in the country.
The Royal Father made the appeal on Saturday during an interview with newsmen at his palace in Potiskum.
He said traditional rulers were the bedrock of the society and that people looked up to them as leaders who worked without politicizing issues.
He said, “if you consider the traditional institutions right from Inception before the colonial administrators came to Nigeria, the traditional institutions have all the security ramifications in their palaces.”
According to him, the arrival of the colonial administrators affected both the administrative and military powers of the traditional stools.
He said, “They strategically changed the way things are done.”
“Therefore, the constitutional arrangement as of now have rendered the traditional institutions helpless, but we are doing our best with the little authority in hand.
“Council Chairman is the chief security officer of the local government, he is protected by the constitution; there should had been the traditional institutions to be recognized and protected by the constitution.
“This would have given power, recognition to the traditional institutions instead of living them unrecognised by the constitution.
“As partners maintaining law and order and security, traditional institutions deserved to be recognised and be given certain roles and responsibility backed by the constitution besides the preservation of culture and tradition. The constitution should recognise traditional institutions under national responsibility
“We are not competing with the executive, legislative or judiciary, but traditional institutions should also be given the opportunity to fill other constitutional roles as I said earlier, particularly in ensuring peace and security of the people in their domain and not that when there is problem they are asked to come in, only then and forgotten whenever certain peace is achieved.” He added.
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