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Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti has called on governments at all levels to grant traditional rulers constitutional right to play prominent roles in tackling security challenges facing the country.
The monarch made the call while delivering the 10th anniversary lecture at the Center for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin.
The Olomu whose lecture centered on “Traditional institutions as catalysts for peace and security in Nigeria” said traditional rulers were good instruments for the promotion of peace and unity in the country.
He observed that in the past, traditional institutions served as the first administrative unit for tribal and ethnic Nigerian settlement.
“A security environment in all societies and in the world over has variety of traditional ways of managing and resolving conflicts and building peace whether formal or informal.
“The failure of Nigeria as a nation to incorporate political and administrative systems into traditional grassroots governance may not be unconnected with the uncheckable and excessive waves of criminality currently being witnessed,” he said.
He observed that the challenges were becoming multiple and assuming dangerous dimensions, hence, the need for royal fathers to recognize the changing needs of the nation’s security environment.
Oba Adeoti listed the roles of traditional institutions to include fostering national unity, promoting cohesion, dispute management, reconciliation and peace making.
The monarch called on traditional rulers to see themselves as fathers to all in the discharge of their duties in a bid to ensure peace and harmonious relationship in the community.
Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun commended the University of Ilorin for the establishment of the Center for Peace and Strategic Studies.
He said that paving the way for peace to reign was the duty and responsibility of everybody. Egbetokun said he will continue to do more in order to ensure peace.
