It has been alleged that the regimes of Generals Aguiyi Ironsi, Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, all laid the foundation for the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, made this allegation at a meeting with the Steering Committee of the Senate Constitution Review, on Thursday March 11.
According to the Sultan, who was represented at the event by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; Ironsi’s 1966 Unitary Government Decree, Gowon’s 1967 and Obasanjo’s 1976 Local Government Reforms Decrees, stripped traditional rulers of their powers and gave same to the local government councils.
He said these decrees relegated the traditional institution to the background with no constitutional role, adding that before the 1976 local government reforms, Nigeria was progressive, peaceful, decent and full of beautiful traditions and cultures.
“All the respective levels of governments needed them to maintain peace and security as traditional rulers were always at hand to douse conflict that the police, the military and the government officials could not contain.
“Currently, traditional rulers do not have the constitutional or other legal backings to perform effectively as they’re not even mentioned in the 1999 constitution. This is a great departure from all earlier constitutions that recognized them, and even gave them some functions to perform.
“Indeed, all the Nigerian earlier constitutions gave the chairmen of the State Councils of Chiefs seats in the National Council of State alongside former Presidents and Chief Justices” the Sultan stated.
He appealed to the National Assembly to restore their constitutional powers, adding that the constitution should be amended to give the traditional institution a unique constitutional recognition.
He also noted that no community or nation would thrive successfully without due consideration of its historical evolution, customs, values and beliefs.
The Sultan said; “The constitutional provision should provide for states to enact state laws that cater for specific peculiar matters relating to traditional rulers in the respective states. In addition, the chairmen of the State Councils of Chiefs should be recognized by the constitution as members of the Council of State as it has been in all the Nigerian constitutions, except the 1999 one.”
