The bill to establish the National council for Traditional Rulers of Nigeria sponsored by Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District Simon Bako Lalong has scalled second reading at the Senate.
Leading the debate at the Senate plenary on Thursday 13th March 2025, Senator Lalong said the bill which was read for the first time on Tuesday, 8th October 2024 seeks to establish the National Council for Traditional Rulers in order to accord formal recognition to, as well as facilitate the important roles and functions of our Traditional Rulers.
He explained that the significance of the bill lies in the fact that before the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates and the colony of Lagos to form Nigeria in 1914 by British colonialialist, various areas were a conglomeration of Kingdoms, caliphates, chiefdoms and Empires existing through natural indigenous forms of governance.
He said Traditional authorities were very influential because they governed their societies by virtue of being the custodians of people’s culture, tradition, values, morals, religious beliefs etc. They served as vanguards in handling and containing communal conflicts, crises and insecurities among their diverse citizens. They also brokered and regulated commerce and industry through trade with other kingdoms.
According to him, the glory of Traditional Rulers blossomed between the 1910s and the 1960s where Nigerian Traditional Rulers were very influential and in charge of the Native Authority (NA) Administration under the British colonial “indirect rules” system. They served as the Executive (the NA council), the Legislature (making NA bye-laws) and the Judiciary (in charge of the NA, Police, Judges and Prisons). This format continued under the First Republic (1960-1966) with the roles of Traditional Rulers as members of the Regional House of Chiefs.
Lalong regretted that the Traditional institution was however sidelined with General Ironsi’s 1966 Unitary Government, General Gowon’s and General Obasanjo’s 1967 and 1976 Local Government Reform Decrees that stripped Traditional Rulers of the powers and shared them between Federal, States and Local Governments.
While the 1979 constitution restored the significance of our Traditional Institutions to a great extent, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) relegated their relevance to the background.
The former Plateau Governor said while there are no constitutional roles for our Traditional Rulers, there is also currently no law that provides the framework for our Traditional Rulers to operate despite their importance to society.
It is in order to fill the current lacuna that he first of all sponsored a Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, (SB 532), which was read on chamber on Thursday, 24th September 2024.
And to further pursue the matter, the National Council for Traditional Rulers of Nigeria establishment Bill, 2024 seeks to provide for framework for the Traditional Rulers to operate at the Federal level and contribute their quota to national stability and development as they did in the 1910s and 1960s.
He expressed conviction that even in these contemporary times, Traditional Rulers play a key role in the non-kinetic approach of the efforts by Government at all levels to tackle our security challenges because they are ingrained in the fabrics of our societies.
After the lead debate, Senators took turns to express support for the bill explaining that the lack of a defined role for Traditional Rulers in the country has hampered their capacity to effectively contribute towards tackling the challenges of the nation.
The Senators buttressed their arguments with the fact that during crises, politics and other national events, Traditional Rulers are approached to take part, but their roles are neither defined nor protected by laws as they are vulnerable.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also commended Senator Lalong for coming up with the bill and said when passed, it will address many issues surrounding the Traditional institution in Nigeria.
Afterwards, Senator Lalong engaged the Senate Press Corps where he thanked his colleagues for supporting the bill and also expressed optimism that it will not suffer the setback it did in the 9th Senate.
