Last week, Nigerians were swept up in a wave of emotion as Justice Lima of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a controversial judgment on the tug of war between the Kano State Emir Council and the state government. This development raised eyebrows among citizens in conservative quarters and sparked concerns among advocates of preserving traditional institutions.
Since antiquity, traditional institutions have been regarded as gatekeepers of every culture, playing significant roles in governance. They are the closest institutions to citizens, understanding their yearnings and aspirations better than any stratum of government. They also serve as conduits for politicians to access electorates at the local level.
The roles of traditional institutions are universal. One need only read the work of British-based lecturer Andrzej Olechnowicz, “The Monarchy and British Nation,” to see that there is no difference between the duties performed by traditional leaders in Nigeria and those of queens and kings in England.
It is a fact that modern-day politics erode the power of traditional rulers, as the powers given to elected government officials, especially state governors, control the finances of traditional authorities, keeping traditional rulers in a perpetual state of serfdom.
The development in Kano State has proven this fact, where the state emirates are used as a cannon folder to settle scores. It doesn’t require the skills of a seer to profess that the political issues of the state were the chief factor that evoked animosity between the former governor and the former Emir, Sanusi Lamido.
The current governor of the state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has humped on the same trajectory of destruction by embarking on a vindictive journey of plunging the emirate and the innocent populace of Kano into crises, simply to send a political message to the opposition party.
Problems of this kind erode the quality of traditional institutions’ ability to form a synergy with elected representatives, helping citizens at the local level enjoy the dividends of governance and the gatekeeping of indigenous people’s culture.
Traditional rulers couldn’t focus on their duties because half of the attention needed for them to be committed to their duty is invested in fighting legal battles forced on them by politicians, and the other half is dedicated to pleasing state governors to prevent them from usurping their throne out of political enmity.
It is necessary for the legislative arm of government to make laws that will protect traditional authorities from the razzmatazz of politicians, take away the right of governors in the selection and deposition of traditional rulers, and inculcate traditional rulers in the structure of governance with constitutional responsibility.
Only when this is done will the sanctity of traditional institutions cease to be used as a sacrificial lamb to score cheap political goals by the scallywags called politicians.
Edumarekorede (edumarekorede@gmail.com), wrote from Abuja.
