The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has stated that Nigeria could not be a better place without the contributions of Traditional Rulers, who should be encouraged to have clearly defined roles in the constitution.
The Speaker made this statement in Abuja while addressing a delegation of eminent Royal Fathers under the aegis of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), who paid him a courtesy visit to his office.
Speaker Abbas assured the traditional rulers that the 10th House would work towards keeping its promise of granting a constitutional role for traditional institutions, describing them as “fountains of knowledge and wisdom.”
He expressed gratitude to the royal fathers for finding time to visit him, adding that what they sought to promote and preserve is an institution that gave birth to many of the members in the House, including himself.
He said, “Thank you, our royal fathers. We are very proud of you, and we appreciate your support. We will not forget this gesture of reaching out to us – your children.”
“Your royal highnesses, I’m sure all of you are aware that I’m a product of this institution, and many of our members in the 10th Assembly are also from this background. If I begin to list the names of members from various traditional houses, I’m sure you will be more at ease with us.”
“This is your house; this is where you have the utmost respect. And I can assure you that what happened to the constitution amendment regarding your roles in the past will not repeat itself.”
“That I can assure you because Nigeria cannot be a better place if traditional rulers are not made to take their rightful place.”
“I can tell you that this is one institution where you have the best brains with knowledgeable people. I was at an event the other day in Kaduna, and about 10 traditional rulers who were introduced were people who had served in various professional capacities before leaving to take up the traditional titles.”
The Speaker assured the delegation that previous recommendations would be looked into in the course of altering the constitution.
“We are going to look at the Emir of Lafia’s committee that made some far-reaching recommendations. I assure you that we will look into it and do what’s right and best for this institution and for the country.”
Earlier, the leader of the delegation and Chairman of the coordinating committee of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji (Dr.) Yahaya Abubakar congratulated the Speaker for his landslide victory during the inauguration of the 10th House on June 13, 2023.
He stated that the delegation’s visit to the National Assembly was anchored on three objectives: to congratulate the Speaker on his emergence, and members on their electoral victories; to urge them on the need to pursue people-oriented legislation; and to emphasize the importance of granting constitutional roles to traditional institutions in the country.
“We are hoping that, in Sha Allah, this coming constitution amendments process, we would have our roles enshrined in the constitution. We are not dragging space; ours is to complement your roles as political leaders. We are the custodians of customs and traditions at the grassroots and ensure that our subjects adhere to them to engender peace, security, and progress.”
“These are roles that we play very well, and we urge you to facilitate the documentation of this role in the constitution for proper recognition,” Etsu Nupe, who is also the Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, said.
The delegation, made up of eminent traditional rulers and Chairmen of various State Councils of Traditional Rulers, also presented a congratulatory card to the Speaker, just as it offered prayers for the protection of the Speaker and the House of Representatives in general.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Full text: See Obi’s written address to Tinubu
Labour Party legal team, led by Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), on Thursday, filed their final written address in response to…
46-year-old Nigerian ‘mysteriously’ dies in Scotland
Security and health experts in Glasgow, Scotland are battling to unravel the mystery surrounding the sudden death of…
Nigerian billionaire businessman Tony Elumelu invited Wizkid as he organises a ‘sip and paint’ to celebrate his…
Subsidy: 10 ways to reduce fuel consumption
Amidst the early days of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in Nigeria, the nation has been grappling with a staggering increase in…
Messi scores on debut as Inter Miami wins league cup match
Argentine Superstar Lionel Messi scored on his debut for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami as they secured a victory over…
RECENTLY, Nigeria has been facing an unprecedented scourge of diphtheria, and so soon after the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been found in…
