By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed has called on the National Assembly to include specific roles for traditional rulers in the ongoing constitution amendments.
Governor Mohammed made the appeal in his speech shortly after presenting the staff of office to the 11th Emir of Misau, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, on Sunday at the Misau Township Stadium.
He said the need for traditional rulers across the country to be given specific constitutional roles was because of their contributions to the socioeconomic and political development of the country.
“Let me, at this juncture, acknowledge the role of the traditional rulers in the socioeconomic development of our country. Indeed, traditional rulers deserve to be commended for bringing about peace and stability in their various domains. This is in spite of the fact that they have not been given specific roles by the Nigerian Constitution.
“I would like to appeal to our Royal Fathers to continue to work hard towards peaceful coexistence among their people and development of their various areas of jurisdiction.
“I wish to appeal to the National Assembly to amend the constitution with a view to assigning specific roles for our traditional rulers,” he said.
The governor called on traditional rulers across the state to monitor the suspicious movements of people in their domains especially strangers and urged them to sensitize their subjects to report such movements to security agents for appropriate actions.
He vowed that any traditional ruler found to be aiding and abetting crime in their domains would be sanctioned by his administration.
Mohammed said: “I want to, at this juncture, call on our traditional rulers to reactivate the practice of monitoring spurious movements and strangers in their domains. The people should be sensitized to cooperate and provide actionable intelligence to security agents and report their activities capable of disrupting the peaceful coexistence.
“Cases of kidnapping, banditry, insurgency and other violent crimes that are gradually spreading to the state from the neighbouring states must be checked with the cooperation of traditional rulers.
“Government will not hesitate to sanction any traditional ruler that is found to be supporting or refusing to report criminal activities in their areas of jurisdiction.
“In fact, I will not hesitate to dethrone any traditional ruler that is found wanting especially when it has to do with the needs of our people.”
He charged the newly installed Emir to strike a balance between tradition and modernity urging him to be flexible and keep pace with the dynamics of the complexities of modern society while exercising his traditional authority.
“You should bring your wealth of knowledge and experience into play in the discharge of your onerous duties to the office of the Emir. You should be on the same page with the government of the day by offering constructive and even intellectual contributions for the economic, political and social development of your people and the state in general.
“As the custodian of the culture and traditions of the people of Misau Emirate, you should be firm and fair and adhere strictly to the oath of office and allegiance that you have just been sworn to. I need not tell you to carry members of your Emirate Council along in the discharge from f your duties as a new Emir.
“It is my desire and hope that the reign of Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman as the 11th Emir of Misau, will witness peace and harmony, economic prosperity, and political stability.”
Our Correspondent reports that the last coronation of an Emir in the Misau Emirate was 43 years ago when the past Emir of Misau, Alhaji Muhammad Manga III, who ascended the throne of his forefathers, reigned for 36 years and died in February 2015.
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