‘Traditional institutions vital to peaceful coexistence’

By Adekunle Jimoh

Kwwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said traditional institutions are vital to the growth and peaceful coexistence of the society.

He said they played key roles in the stability of the polity.

AbdulRazaq spoke in Ilorin at the weekend when the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, visited him.

He said: “As a government, we have respect for traditional institutions. As far as I am concerned, despite the three tiers of government, I believe traditional institution is the fourth tier of government. This is possibly why the military made the funding of the institution to come directly from local government.”

The governor added:  “The reason I consider traditional institution as the fourth tier is because therein, there is the presence of the judiciary, which resolves issues within the community. You have administration; you have security (system). Everything is encapsulated in that institution. You solve problems within our society. Even in the constitution of community policing, the Federal Government believes in the traditional institution to build community policing system.”