Traditional Rulers And Partisan Politics

At his maiden meeting with traditional
rulers in the state recently, the Rivers
State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike warned them to shun partisan politics and promote security in their domains.
The governor also condemned the balkanization of some traditional stools in the state by the past administration and assured that his government will address the cases of stools that were balkanized.
Wike at the meeting regretted that during the last electioneering campaigns, some traditional rulers became partisan to the extent of being involved in daily campaigns of political parties, noting that it reduced the dignity and respect of the traditional institution in the state.
Indeed, the traditional institution in the state was a major casualty of the 2015 general elections as many rulers went beyond the civic obligation of voting for their preferred candidate to being “campaign managers”.
While they were expected to remain in their domains to receive, advise and bless the contestants for the various offices, who invariably are their children, many traditional rulers not only openly campaigned for candidates but also chose who to welcome.
The development indeed took a toll on the respect and reverence they had enjoyed not only from their subjects but from society at large.
We note, however, that the undoing of the traditional institution in Rivers State in the recent past had been the indiscriminate appointment of people into stools by government without recourse to the genealogical and hereditary traditions of ascention to those stools.
While in some cases, people who had no historical links with or qualification whatsoever for the stools were imposed on them, in other cases, historically homogenous communities under one stool, had the stool balkanized.
It is, therefore, commendable that in keeping with his promises, Governor Nyesom Wike has presented an executive bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly in this regard which seeks to amend the obnoxious Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers Law 2014 which bastardised the traditional institution.
Already, there are indications from the Legislature that some first class rulers appointed under the obnoxious law may be demoted even as the Assembly has appointed a seven-man committee to conduct a public hearing in line with the planned amendment of the Traditional Rulers Law 2014.
While we commend the governor for this visionary move which seeks to reposition the traditional rulers council and make it more dignified and respected through playing its expected role as father to all, we hope that government would in the process avoid any action that would amount to a witch-hunt.
More importantly however, the new chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers His Majesty, King Dandeson D. Jaja, Jeki V and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom has his job cut out for him.
He should find out where his members failed their subjects and themselves and move to reposition the council to meet the challenges of contemporary society, especially in maintaining security and peace in their domains as well as bringing the policies and programmes of the government of the day to their subjects.
We do agree that indeed, partisan political involvement is injurious to the revered position of the traditional institution and has in the recent past eroded the integrity and respect of many Rivers traditional rulers.
The Tide believes that the amendment of  the enabling law which would also streamline the various stools in line with their respective  norms, traditions and succession rites and the appointment of a new chairman in person of the Amanyanabo of Opobo, the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers will regain its lost glory.
This can only be so, when the royal fathers shun partisan politics, act as  fathers to all, regardless of the political affiliations of their subjects and promote peace, unity and development in their respective domains.