Nation building: Nasarawa govt. advocates constitutional roles for traditional rulers in Nigeria

By David Odama

Nasarawa State Government has urged policy formulators in the country to formalize the role of traditional rulers in the nation’s building and governance.

Deputy Governor of the state, Dr.

Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe who made the case during the twentieth anniversary on the throne of the Andoma of Doma at the at the weekend said there was urgent need for the role of traditional rulers to be properly defined in view of the vital role the play in the country.
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Highlighting the role of the traditional institution in entrenching good governance, the state Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe who stood in for Governor Abdullahi Sule assured of government’s continuous support to traditional rulers in the state.

According to him, the relative peace being enjoyed in the state is majorly due to the contributions of traditional rulers, calling on the royal fathers to continue in that direction so as to ensure enduring peace and tranquility.

Akabe noted that without defining the role of the monarchs was also contributing to increase of crimes and criminalities in the country because as custodians of the people, their roles were limited.

Felicitating with the Andoma of Doma for attaining twenty years on the royal throne, the deputy governor affirmed that the royal father has made his chiefdom and the entire state proud with his uncommon intellect and leadership style describing him as a round peck in a round hole.

Chairman of the occasion and the Aku Uka of Wukari, Dr. Ishaku Adda Ali Matakhitswen and the Emir of Lafia, retired Justice Sidi Bage Mohammed acknowledged the shared ancestry and relationship that exists among the Alago, Jukun and Kanuri people, stressing the need for the ethnic nationalities to foster cohesion, strengthen their bonds and promote unity, just as they urged the Andoma to continue to serve humanity in the best of tradition.

In a remark, the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, who was a special guest at the occasion, apart from commending the Nasarawa State Government for the transformation witnessed in various sectors implored political leaders in the country to effectively utilise the traditional institution for impactful governance and prayed God to continue to preserve the Andoma.

For the celebrant, the Forty third Andoma of Doma, Ahmadu Aliyu Oga, reaching twenty years on the throne is by God’s grace and infinite mercies, assuring of his willingness to exemplify himself as a servant ruler and to attract development to Doma community as he equally appreciated those who came from far and near to share his joy with
Nasarawa State.