EXPLAINER: What Our Emirs, Obas And Obis Should Do In 2023

There is a lingering debate about whether or not the powers of Nigeria’s traditional rulers are beginning to wane. Some Nigerians think traditional rulers are forming political alignments to enrich their pockets and remain nationally relevant.

AllNews Nigeria can confirm that two sons of the now late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, contested for the same office on the two most dominant parties in 2019, APC and PDP, while a son of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, is running for the Oyo Central senatorial seat in 2023. 

The list goes on and on, putting traditional rulers in tight ropes.

If that is the case, what should traditional rulers do to convince their subjects that they desire nation-building in the country?

They should stay on the fence

A source in the Kano State Ministry For Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs told AllNews Nigeria correspondent that the former Emir, Muhammad Sanusi II, was dethroned because of his outspoken disapproval of the incumbent governor of the state, Umar Ganduje, on his reelection bid.

The Olu Atuwatse III has set a good precedent for the forthcoming general elections.

The Olu of Warri raised the bar in his message titled “A Call For Peace And Participation In The General Elections”.

Nigerians expect traditional rulers to deviate from endorsements but put potential voters on a pedestal to use their votes to elevate their voices.

Recently, there has been an outcry about the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinolu, being politically driven.

The monarch should clear his name by charging his people not to practice political apathy but to vote for their conscience and the candidate of their choice.

Our Emirs, Obis and Obas should appeal to the people to eschew violence and be orderly as they go about exercising their franchise on the days of the elections.

We need more of such from our traditional authorities. The traditional society is a sacred stool.

A traditional ruler is the father of both the winning and losing candidates.

Traditional rulers should use their stool to preach the spirit of sportsmanship to every candidate without fear or favour.

Our traditional rulers should be a pilot of responsible government that will help both the government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and law enforcement agents to sensitise for orderliness and peaceful exercise of voting rights on election day.

Traditional society should not be proteges or instruments of political campaigns after the doors of campaigns have been shut. 

But they should call for national peace and unity to work alongside relevant agencies to maintain a peaceful disposition, have a violence-free poll and be prepared to collaborate with any eventual winner.

Our traditional rulers must speak as a dominant national voice before, during and after the forthcoming general election to campaign for national strength that would draw the country together against choosing political division because of their personal interests. 

Our traditional society deserves to highlight the power of peace over chaos.

Meanwhile, they are the intermediary between ordinary Nigerians and political candidates.

They should objectively itemise what their subject needs to make peace sustainable in their regions. 

Every serious political candidate always visits traditional rulers on the campaign trail.

We expect our traditional rulers to be our instrument of checks and balances alongside accountability to the people.

The ceremonial functions our emirs, Obas and Obis perform are enough.

We want them to use similar energy to advance the masses’ yearnings. 

They are the most highly regarded non-political actors in Nigeria.

Still, they hardly utilise their strengths to better the lives of ordinary people, only to complain like ordinary Nigerians with no power or influence.

If our traditional rulers can begin to affect our national interests positively without factoring in their personal interests, the country could take a progressive leap after the coming 2023 election.