Traditional rulers from different parts of Yorubaland under the aegis of Yoruba Obas Forum (YOF) have called on the federal government to have specific constitutional roles for all traditional rulers in the country so as to join as a fourth tier of the government, saying the move is long overdue.
The Forum also charged the federal government to immediately expedite action granting financial autonomy to Local Government Authorities, so as to be better equipped to serve the rural communities and improve development as a way of curbing the rural-to-urban migration.
The monarchs also requested the government to create a special intervention fund for security which would be administered by the traditional rulers as a way to improve on the spate of insecurity in the country.
The requests form parts of the decisions reached by the YOF during its Annual General Meeting held at Kakanfo Hotel, Ibadan on Monday, November 27, which was attended by more than 60 traditional rulers.
The meeting was the first since it was started in 2019.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun was represented at the event by the Asiwaju Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Ademola Adelade. The Timi of Ede, Oba Nurudeen Lawal was the Chairman of the occasion.
The monarchs recommended the use of traditional local fabrics to promote local industries and culture, by ensuring that out of the five working days, either two or three days are left for people to adorn in simple traditional fabrics as a way to boost textile and local industries.
The monarchs while congratulating President Bola Tinubu on his successful election to pilot the affairs of the country, expressed optimism that the President is well-equipped and has the experience and capacity to handle the job at hand.
A communique issued at the end of the meeting and read by the Elerinmo of Erinmoland, Osun State, Oba Micheal Ajayi also recommended the use of local dialects (mother tongue) in the educational institutions at the primary and secondary school levels and government facilities in Yoruba land.
The communique reads in part: “We, the Yoruba Obas Forum, in our first general meeting after the 2023 general elections in the country, welcome and congratulate President Bola Tinubu for his successful election into office to pilot the affairs of the country.
“Mr. President, we know you are well-equipped and have the experience and capacity to handle the job at hand. We pray for your success as the President of Nigeria, to nudge the country to greater glory.
“These, however, are the beliefs of a large number of the monarchs under the aegis of Yoruba Obas Forum (YOF). The Forum as a formidable cultural force and great custodian of peoples’ heritage rose from their annual general meeting held at the Kakanfo Hotel in lbadan with some suggestions to the Federal Government meant to improve governance in the land.
“Some of the key highlights are as follows: It is now long overdue for the Federal Government to have specific Constitutional roles for all traditional rulers in Nigeria, so as to join as a fourth tier of the government.
“We are requesting for the Government to immediately expedite action granting financial autonomy to Local Government Authorities, so as to be better equipped to serve the rural communities and improve development, and then curb the rural-to-urban migration.
“We request the Federal Government to create a special intervention fund for security which would be administered by the traditional rulers as a way to improve on the spate of insecurity in the country.
“This is because we feel that all crimes are local, and if it is nipped in the bud because we have our own local traditional security arrangements which will go a long way to gather intelligence to support the security agencies. And of course, it requires a special fund for that.
“This is because we feel that all crimes are local, and if it is nipped in the bud because we have our own local traditional security arrangements which will go a long way to gather intelligence to support the security agencies. And of course, it requires a special fund for that.
“We recommend the use of local dialects (mother tongue) in the educational institutions at the primary and secondary school levels and government facilities in Yoruba land.”
It reads further: “We also recommend the use of traditional local fabrics to promote local industries and our culture, by ensuring that out of the five working days, either two or three days are left for people to adorn in our simple traditional fabrics as a way to boost our textile and local industries.
“We call on the government to critically look into the suggestions proffered during the Constitutional Review Conference and to take steps in ensuring that Nigerian polity is on a better tripod as against the way it is now, which is a bit fragile.
“We suggest that the Local Government Authorities and Traditional rulers as well as the States to have better control of resources within their domain.
“We also suggest that the government should diversify the economy from over-reliance on oil, and give attention to our farmers at the rural level with intervention funds and implements to improve their yield because we believe that farmers, if well supported would be able to meet up the food requirement of Nigeria and export same.
“We recommend that the Government should strengthen conflict resolutions and arbitrations at the traditional level with the re-introduction and certification of customary court under the traditional rulers, whereby our judgment should now be certified and presentable as evident in other courts. This would go a long way to reduce the stress on the existing judiciary arrangements by tackling local issues at the traditional level before they get to other courts.
“Finally, we request for everyone to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in all their reforms and efforts to turn around the situation of Nigeria. We commend the effort of the new administration so far and urge them to look into and arrest the inflationary tendencies and the rising cost of living and security in the country.”
Some of the monarchs at the event include Olukotun of Ikotun-Ile (Secretary General), Oba AbdulRazak Adebayo; Alayandelu of Odo-Ayandelu (PRO), Oba Asunmo Ganiyu Aderibigbe; Elerinmo of Erinmo (Admin), Oba Dr. Micheal Ajayi and Aare Alawo Ekun of Ago-Aare, Oba Dr. Abodunrin Kofoworola.
Others were: Aare Alawo-Ekun of Ofiki, Oba Dr. Adeoye Gbenga Tunji; Olujumu Ijumu Kingdom, Oba Williams Olusegun Ayeni; Ologijo of Ogijo, Oba Kazeem Gbadamoshi, Olasole of Lasoleland, Oba Jacob Dairo, and Onileki of Lekkiland, Oba Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun.
