By Amaike Ihuoma Okoronkwo, Port Harcourt
A professor of History and the 2nd Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Sylvanus J. S. Cookey also an endowed Chair at the University to promote teaching and research in Malaria and Phytomedicine has raised a fundamental question before Nigerians seeking answers for the way forward in the Nigerian traditional system as an Institution. The question was raised during the 80th birthday ceremony of the Chairman Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers His Majesty, King Jaja of Opobo, King Dr. Dandeson Douglas Jaja JEKI (V) at the traditional rulers secretariat in Port Harcourt on Thursday the 28th April, 2022.
The controversial as well as fundamental question, “ Would our lives been better if our traditional institution was given a constitutional role in our democratic dispensation” came as a response from the public lecture titled “Traditional Institution In Nigeria’s Democracy” being a lecture delivered by His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR, mni, Obi of Onitsha to mark the 80th birthday of the monarch.
His Majesty, during the said lecture, had ravaged through the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria, ex-raying the pre-colonial and post-colonial setbacks the Nigerian Traditional Institution had suffered from inception in the hands of colonialists and the military. King Achebe stressed that, our traditional institution has been one of the institutions that suffered most in the hands of colonialists who made sure they altered the long existing traditional judicial system, the traditional belief system, the traditional medicine etc of the people and lots more under the traditional administration of our royal fathers to set up what their indirect rule which led to the system of government we have today as democracy.
In his statement: “It was the military that progressively and studiously diminished the powers and influence of the traditional institution through the take over of local police, prisons and local courts in 1968, The Land Use Decree of 1978, the creation of new states and local government areas. The 1976 local government reforms which transferred the administrative and legislative roles of traditional rulers to the newly created Local Government Councils.”
He maintained that our traditional rulers are closely linked with the grassroots and so understand the problems of our people intimately. Citing cases of insecurity and other threats to which security agents within some communities had run to our royal fathers seeking for better alternative approach in essence displays in no measures that our royal fathers understand the peoples culture and tradition unto which they are custodians.
Responding to the issues raised, HRH Eze Felix Enene Otuwarikpo, Eze Igbu (III) Upata Kingdom Rivers State cried out that the Nigerian Traditional Institution has become an endangered species in a system it ought not be. He lamented the neglect and the need to revisit the Nigerian constitution with the view to given our traditional institution a constitutional role with the royal fathers incorporated as custodians of the peoples culture and tradition.
Other highlights of the event include the cutting of the 80th birthday cake by the celebrant, his citation and the response by the Rivers state Governor Barr. Nyesom Wike ably represented by the Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo. The Chairman of the occasion was the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi, Otu (V).