LASG convenes traditional rulers, charges them on fostering communal peace, economic development

By Moses Adeniyi

The Lagos State Government (LASG) on Thursday convened traditional rulers in the state for sensitisation on stronger responsiveness to community service,  just as the government charges them to  become lively to conflict resolution, fostering communal peace and economic development in their domains.

The State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr. Wale Ahmed, who charged the traditional rulers at a Retreat organised for them in Lagos State, with the theme: “The Role of Traditional Rulers in Conflict Resolution and in Fostering Communal Peace and Economic Development,” said traditional rulers in Lagos has continued to serve as  development catalysts, and respected mobilisation agents for policy implementation, monitoring and review of policy options.

“So, your role which goes beyond being custodian of our tradition and culture can never be overlooked in the scheme of things, in a State like ours, where peaceful co-existence is paramount to the economic progress of the State.

“Conflict resolution is a long-standing traditional engagement of our Royal Fathers. This has been passed from generation to generation and effectively replicated in our contemporary society.

“This role has contributed in no small measure to the peaceful co-existence among people of different backgrounds and beliefs in our State, resulting in remarkable economic progress for Lagos State.

“We thank you for this but still request that you do more, especially at this period of challenges and un-provoked aggression among people,” he stated.

According to the Commissioner,  traditional rulers have a special responsibility to uphold not just traditional values, culture and customs, but to also ensure that information dissemination flowed to all nooks and crannies of their domains, as well as ensuring that residents in each community understood government policies and programmes in the simplest form, using preferably the indigenous languages.

Ahmed added that it was expected that as Royal fathers and opinion leaders, they would properly and adequately educate their subjects, including youths, on what the government has been doing, and how they could play their own part, to help the government  deliver more dividends of democracy.

“And as the closest to the grassroots, the constant interaction with them puts you at vantage position, to get the message across to them, and to get their support and cooperation for meaningful development.

“This is not optional, but our collective responsibility to strengthen our co-operation for communal peace and security. Retreat such as this is used to consolidate the interwoven synergy between the State and Traditional Rulers in greasing the wheel of progress of our dear State,” he said.

In addition, the Commissioner noted that the retreat would offer the opportunity for purposeful engagement on these issues and more, and how they could leverage existing peace and stability in the State to connect higher economic prosperity.

Applauding them for their efforts so far in assisting government in their domains, Ahmed urged the traditional rulers to continue to cooperate with the government, and to support efforts at moving the State to the next level, in line with the promise of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led Administration to the people of the State.

Speaking on the overview of the Obas and Chiefs of Lagos State Law 2015, Director, Legislative Drafting of the State’s Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Aderinsola Olanrewaju said that the law guides the selection, appointment and recognition of recognised and unrecognised Chiefs in Lagos.

Professor of Law and former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akin Ibidapo-obe, during his presentation on “Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution Technique” said that the role of the Obas and his Chiefs are mainly mediation and arbitration and like every other skills and line of education, there is a need to be involved in order to improve skills at all time.

He stated that the primary function of the Oba is to resolve conflict by mediation, submitting that there should be an institute or council of traditional mediators that will not only serve the immediate community of the Oba, but can as well offer their services elsewhere.

Reckoning with the need to recognise the important roles the traditional rulers are playing in mediation and arbitration, he called for provision of a platform that will enhance their skills and give them a basis to reach out even beyond their domains.

Speaking on behalf of the Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba of Lagos, HRM, Rilwan Akiolu commended the State Government for prioritising the intellectual empowerment of traditional rulers in the State.

He implored traditional rulers in the State to continue committing themselves to and ensure they play their roles in ensuring that communal peace in their domains engender economic development in the State.