Ogoni And Role Of Traditional Rulers

Peace is a panacea and catalyst for development as righteousness is to the exaltation of a nation. And inversely, sin is a reproach to it as social vices such as kidnapping, cultism, terrorism, bunkering, corruption etc are indices of underdevelopment of a society.

It is traditionally believed that the road to attaining sustainable peace and development cannot be the exclusive responsibility of government alone, it rests on the single oasis of traditional rulers, too. It is a collaborative and not isolative effort of any individual or group, be it traditional rulers, government, socio-cultural organisation, private or public sectors.

However, the role of traditional rulers and most home based socio-cultural organisations are very crucial especially in attaining grassroots peace and development.

It is on this premise that kudos must be given to any traditional ruler who values peace and development. Permit me to single out His Royal Majesty, King G. N.K Gininwa (OFR), the Gbenemene Tai Kingdom and President, Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers and the newly appointed chairman of the  Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers for his disposition towards peace and developments in his domain.

All through his leadership career, he has always been a crusader of peace in his domain and every area he found himself. The Babbe Links courtesy visit on him at his palace in Koro Koro Tai recently was an important visit and moment of ‘ coming together’ on how to chart a new course in fighting the menace of social ills that has continued to bedevil the Babbe Kingdom, Ogoni ethnic nationality and Rivers State in general.

In the prevailing situation of crime and security challenges of the nation, time has actually come for us to partner with traditional institution to practically deal with the situation exclusively. Royal fathers are the closet to the people at the grassroot and this gives them the opportunity to know, identify and fish-out the criminals in the society.

Like I said in one of my articles titled: ‘ Every criminal lives in a community or village’, it is always the royal fathers who are always on hand in the village with their council that could make the right judgment. Apart from their closeness to the people, they are highly respected by their subjects. They can always employ a number of strategies to analyze and dig out the cause of every situation, traditionally or otherwise. That was why the Babbe Links decided to visit King Gininwa.

Babbe Links is a socio-cultural youth organization in the Babbe Kingdom of Khana Local Government Area of Ogoni in Rivers State. Babbe Links’ concept was galvanized to champion the cause of peace and development in the Babbe Kingdom of Khana alone. But by extension and linkage, through its numerous achievements in peace building, youth empowerment etc, it has decided to spread her tentacles to other kingdoms in Ogoni, Rivers State and Nigeria in general.

Since the inception of the body, several significant achievements have been recorded through her initiative in curbing youth restiveness, safety awareness, empowerment creation, self reliance, enlightenment, campaign and commitment to the general well-being of the citizenry. This feat has constantly earned the organisation recognition and profound accolades.

Indeed, Ogoni people and Rivers State in general had suffered reasonable dose of shattered peace before, and we can no longer afford to watch this lofty and ugly scene that has rendered thousands of people homeless with hundreds of others meeting their untimely death.

In as much as we are caught in the euphoria that the appointment of King Gininwa is a square peg in a square hole, I want to state equivocally that there are great expectations and tremendous tasks before the king in the face of the recent crises in most parts of the state and Nigeria in general. The Sogho  Community crisis in Khana Local Government Area, the Deken and Deeyor Saga in Gokhana Local Government Area, the banana plantation fuse  between the State Government and some communities in Ogoni, the non implementation of the UNEP reports by the Federal Governments, the filling of vacant stools in Ogoni communities, and the activities of illegal refineries and bunkering which are causing so much environmental hazard on the already devastated land of Ogoni are some of the issues that beg for urgent intervention of the King and the entire Ogonis in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

There is no better alternative to peace, When there is peace, there will surely be development in Ogoni.

Tordee, a public affairs analyst, lives in Port Harcourt.

Manson B.Tordee