Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has proposed amending the 1999 constitution to incorporate a role for traditional rulers, citing their close ties to grassroots communities. Abbas made this announcement during the ongoing ‘Open Week’ celebration in Abuja, marking the first anniversary of the 10th Assembly. He revealed that the House has established two special Standing Committees to spearhead efforts towards achieving constitutional autonomy for local governments and formal recognition of traditional institutions across Nigeria.

He said, “In leading the 10th House, we are committed to ensuring that traditional rulers receive due recognition in our constitutional amendment efforts. Despite previous attempts to constitutionally recognize them, these efforts have not come to fruition. We aim to change that.”

“We strongly believe that traditional institutions serve as the backbone of our society. Consequently, we advocate for granting them a legal role, as we believe this will significantly enhance the welfare of our people.”

“We strongly advocate for bolstering our nation’s security through enhanced roles for traditional institutions. To this end, we have established two distinct committees: the Committee on Traditional Institutions, tasked with advancing the legal recognition of traditional institutions in the upcoming constitutional amendment, and the Committee on States and Local Governments.”

Speaker Abbas emphasized the crucial need to include state governments, State Houses of Assembly, local government councils, and their councillors in the ongoing constitution amendment process. To ensure comprehensive progress, a dedicated committee focusing on state and local government issues has been established.

“These two committees are pivotal in engaging key stakeholders across states to achieve the objective of local government autonomy.”

In his contribution as a panellist, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Yahaya Abubakar, noted that during the colonial era, the traditional institution was already established, which was why the colonialists went through the institution to administer the people.

“We urge this Assembly to leverage the current constitution review process to redefine the roles of traditional institutions nationwide. This adjustment will enable us to collaborate effectively with governments at all levels in ensuring security and peace across our diverse domains,” emphasized the Etsu Nupe.

In his address, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), President of the Nigerian Bar Association, called upon the leadership of the 10th National Assembly to carefully reconsider all legal and legislative barriers obstructing the full realization of traditional institutions’ potential in Nigeria.

He commended the Speaker for championing the cause of returning traditional institutions to their glory days by carving roles for them in the Constitution, free from the overbearing influence of political actors.

The NBA president emphasized that for these positions to be both effective and sustainable, the constitution must address the issue of job security for traditional rulers, who are currently vulnerable to the whims of politicians.