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Constitutional Review: Lawan Solicits Role For Monarchs In Governance
President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, has identified the exclusion of the traditional rulers in governance and security architecture of the nation as one loophole in the 1999 Constitution which had largely aided the growth in Nigeria’s security challenges.
In same vein the National Council of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria (NCTRN) have described the neglect of the traditional rulers in governance as a disrespect to the nations roots capable of creating dangerous gaps, misunderstandings and avoidable conflicts between the grassroots and the government.
Lawan made the disclosure, yesterday, in his speech as he declared open a meeting between the Constitution Review Committee of the Senate chaired by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege-led and the National Council of Traditional Rulers in Abuja.
The Senate President, in his remarks, called for roles for traditional rulers in the Constitution linked to specific functions for them in guaranteeing the safety of lives and properties within their various jurisdictions.
According to Lawan, the worsening activities of insurgents, bandits and criminals have placed Nigeria in a dire situation that demands an urgent review of the 1999 Constitution along the lines of reorganizing the structure of governance to give specific roles to traditional rulers in various communities, as well as the incorporation of traditional institutions as part of the security architecture of the country.
Lawan said, “I’m here to show the commitment of the National Assembly in its entirety, to listening and supporting our royal fathers on the Constitutional Review currently going on, and in what many of us believe that is the right thing; that we have our royal fathers properly and formally given some roles in the governance structure or the administration of our country.
“The pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial history of our royal fathers gives us indication of how important our traditional institution was in those days.
“In fact, at the risk of going into some avoidable history, in 1947 the British created a single traditional institution for the Tivs by creating the title of Tor Tiv. This was because they knew that the traditional institutions were playing very critical and crucial roles in running the affairs of those they governed.
“Probably, the 1979 Constitution had envisaged specific functions for the traditional institutions, but I think we missed it after that, and maybe the 1999 Constitution did not take account of certain things that could have been helpful.
“Maybe before the 1976 local government reforms, the traditional institutions might have played some roles in ensuring that our communities were secured and safe.
“So, what do we need to do to bring our country into a safer climate and more secured life for our people and their property?
“I believe that we need to take a holistic assessment of our situation. Every community, every people makes law for itself to specifically deal with some challenges, and you don’t have to copy what works elsewhere, because your history may be different. So, we have a very peculiar history when it comes to our traditional institutions playing some roles in the affairs of our people.
“This is an opportunity for our traditional institutions to ask for specific roles, but our desire as a National Assembly is to undertake this Constitutional Review because it is part of a very important legislative agenda, and also our desire to continuously work as a Legislature with the Executive arm of government to create a safer and more secured Nigeria.
The Senate President noted that the current security architecture should not be limited to the armed forces, police and other paramilitary organizations alone.
“If our traditional institutions would be part of our security architecture, so be it. Actually, what we need is to secure the lives and properties of our people. How do we achieve that? This is where the meeting of today, between our Constitution Review Committee headed by the Deputy President of the Senate, and the National Council of Traditional Rulers would be very critical”, Lawan said.
Presenting a memorandum of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria signed by the Chairman and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar; and the Co-Chair and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to the Constitution Review Committee, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, recalled that the Nigerian First Republic Regional Governments had bi-cameral Legislative arrangement with the Houses of Chiefs serving as the Upper chambers to those of the elected Houses of Assemblies.
“The society was at that time progressive, peaceful, decent and full of beautiful traditions and cultures. Lives and properties were sacrosanct and accountability and honesty were the hallmarks of the traditional local Administrations,” he said.
According to him, “General Ironsi 1966 Unitary Government Decree, General Gowon’s and General Obasanjo’s 1967 and 1976 Local Government Reform Decrees, respectively stripped traditional rules of their powers and gave same to the local government council thereby giving birth to the present insecurity and corruption, constitutionally and protocol wise, traditional rulers are relegated to the background.”
The Etsu Nupe lamented that under the present arrangement, “Traditional Rulers do not have the constitutional or other legal backing to perform effectively as they are not even mentioned in the 1999 Constitution.”
“This is a great departure from all earlier Constitutions that recognised them and even gave them some functions to perform.
“Indeed, all the Nigerian earlier Constitutions gave the chairmen of the States Councils of Chiefs seats in the National Council of State alongside former Presidents, Chief Justices, etc. For example, this is clearly provided for under Section 140 (l) and under Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1979 Constitution,” he added.
The traditional ruler, however, emphasized that “no community or nation would thrive successfully without due consideration of its historical evolution, customs, values and beliefs”, adding that, “the Nigerian Nation evolved from the amalgamation of several empires, kingdoms, caliphates, chiefdoms and autonomous communities.”
“Undermining the traditional institution through unsavoury politically motivated actions will reduce the respect accorded it by the citizenry.
“This will translate into its ineffectiveness in performing its roles. It will also affect its capacity to mobilize the people towards government programmes and projects and in managing communal, ethnic and religious conflicts and crisis.
“This will certainly not augur well for the envisaged peace, progress and wellbeing of the Nation and its people as the government will lose a respected willing partner in these regards”, he warned.
The Etsu Nupe while calling on the National Assembly to intervene in safeguarding the sanctity of the traditional institution by ensuring its insulation from politically motivated actions that run afoul of the well-established traditional settings advised that traditional rulers should be accorded specific responsibilities for conflict and security management in their domains.
He added that, “Nigeria needs to explore all available means of conflict resolution, intelligence gathering and containment of insecurities that will complement the conventional security outfits.”
The Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, and Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, in his speech, raised questions on why the institution was expunged in the Constitution in the first place, if it had fostered peaceful coexistence and safety of lives and property.
His words, “What you’re seeking here today, is the reinstatement of the Council of Traditional Rulers that we had in all of our previous Constitutions which was omitted in the 1999 Constitution. The question becomes, why was there that omission?”
“With respect to this request, it shouldn’t be very demanding because we all come constituencies and we are all your subjects.
“At a time like this when we have so much insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and most of the North-Central, the same challenges we also have in the South-South, South-East and South-West; with religious tension everywhere, if His Royal Highness said that in Colonial and Pre-Colonial and Post-Colonial times, that there was need to maintain the status of traditional institutions to help us preserve peace, now is even more apt today than it was.
The NCTRN was represented by traditional rulers drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country.
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja
The Federal Government has honoured 12 teachers from across the country with national awards, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening the education sector through improved welfare, incentives, and professional development for teachers.
The awards were presented yesterday at the Nigeria Teachers’ Summit 2026, held in Abuja, where the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated that the government would sustain reforms aimed at empowering teachers and restoring dignity to the profession.
Alausa explained that the selection process was transparent and merit-based, with three teachers nominated from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory at both the basic and senior secondary school levels.
From the pool of nominees, 12 teachers; six from basic education and six from senior secondary education, emerged as national award recipients.
Each of the 12 awardees received a cheque of N25m.
The Overall Best Teacher of the Year, Solanke Taiwo from the South-West category, received an additional N25m, bringing his total prize to N50m.
In addition to the cash prize, Taiwo is to receive a brand new car from the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, as well as a fully furnished two-bedroom flat from the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Also, the Governor of Kebbi State, Nasir Idris, pledged to give each of the award winners an additional N5 million.
The minister described the awardees as exemplifying professionalism, integrity, innovation and dedication to learners, noting that they represent the best of the teaching profession in the country.
“This is more than a reward. It is a national signal that teaching is a noble, respected, and valued profession in Nigeria,” he said.
Speaking at the summit themed ‘Empowering Teachers, Strengthening the System: A National Agenda for Education Transformation and Sustainability,’ the minister said the recognition of the teachers reflected the FG’s broader education reform agenda under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Teachers are the foundation of education, and education is the foundation of national development. No nation can rise above the quality of its teachers.
“No reform, no matter how well designed, can succeed unless teachers are empowered, motivated, supported, and respected,” Alausa said.
He pledged that the government would continue to invest in teachers through structured training, improved career pathways and fair rewards, noting that education remained central to national development.
Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, he said, “sustainable development, economic growth, innovation, and social cohesion depend on a strong and responsive education system and that system depends on teachers.”
As part of this commitment, the minister announced the launch of EduRevamp, a nationally coordinated Continuous Professional Development programme designed to modernise teacher training and improve classroom outcomes.
While the programme is open to teachers in both public and private schools, Alausa said performance-based incentives would be reserved for public school teachers who complete certified training.
“Professional growth must never be restricted. Every teacher deserves access to quality training, modern tools, and updated skills,” he said, adding that incentives would be tied to measurable performance.
He also highlighted complementary initiatives, including the Ignite digital platform to reduce teacher workload, the Diaspora Bridge programme to strengthen STEMM education, and the provision of 60,000 tablets for teachers with zero-data access to approved training platforms.
The minister further announced reforms to the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria’s digital platform, the expansion of Communities of Practice, and progress on the Accelerated Teacher Training Programme aimed at fast-tracking professionalisation for in-service teachers.
To provide long-term stability, he said the government had introduced a National Teacher Policy to guide teacher development, welfare and professional standards nationwide.
Addressing the award recipients and other educators at the summit, Alausa described the government’s message as “professional growth, dignity in service, and renewed hope,” urging stakeholders to focus on tangible outcomes in classrooms across the country.
In her welcoming remarks, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, underscored the central role of teachers in Nigeria’s education reform agenda.
Ahmad said the gathering was both timely and strategic, noting that the quality of any education system is inseparable from the quality, motivation and empowerment of its teachers.
She explained that the theme aligns directly with Nigeria’s current education priorities.
According to her, investing in teachers is the bedrock of sustainable reform and national development.
“Empowering teachers is not an isolated intervention; it is the foundation upon which sustainable education reform is built.
“When teachers are supported, trained, motivated, and valued, the entire system is strengthened, learning outcomes improved, equity expands, and national development is accelerated,” she said.
Describing the summit as a strategic national platform, Ahmad said it was designed to unite key stakeholders to address challenges in the education sector and advance practical reforms.
She noted that the forum brings together teachers, policymakers, education leaders, regulators, unions, development partners and private sector actors to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes nationwide.
In his goodwill message, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Audi Amba, described the summit as a historic milestone in the recognition of teachers’ roles in national development.
Nigeria’s education sector has continued to grapple with longstanding challenges, particularly around teacher welfare, access to regular professional development, classroom capacity and infrastructure.
These issues have raised concerns among stakeholders about the quality of teaching and learning in many public schools. At the same time, industrial actions by education unions in recent years have further highlighted the pressures facing educators nationwide.
The Rivers State Government has declared that it draws its confidence from the assurance that God is more than sufficient to guide its leaders, strengthen its institutions, and sustain its communities in peace and progress.
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?Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made this declaration during the 2026 Holy Ghost Rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.
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?Speaking through his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, the governor stated that “with the Almighty God on our side, our challenges are surmountable and our future remains hopeful,” noting that the theme of this year’s rally, “The All-Sufficient God,” is both timely and reassuring.
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This was contained in a statement from the office of the Deputy Governor, signed by the Head of Press, ?Owupele Benebo.
?According to Fubara, the theme serves as a powerful reminder that in a world filled with uncertainty, God remains our unfailing source, sufficient in wisdom, strength, provision, and grace.
He stressed that when human ability reaches its limit, God’s sufficiency prevails.
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?The governor commended the Redeemed Christian Church of God for its consistent spiritual impact and unwavering prayers for Rivers State and the nation, expressing appreciation for the Church’s contributions to promoting moral values, unity, and faith in God.
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?In his sermon, drawn from Genesis 17:1, the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, described the Almighty God, whose name is above every other name, as all-sufficient and capable of meeting every human need.
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?He noted that the God who created all things also has the power to repair and restore them.
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?Adeboye explained that while human effort, including medical intervention, may reach its limits, there comes a point where only God steps in to turn situations around, bringing hope where none seemed possible.
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?In his address, the Pastor in charge of the Rivers Family of the RCCG, Pastor Adesoji Oni, stated that the Port Harcourt Holy Ghost Rally, which began in 2015 and has now become an annual event, has been a tremendous blessing to the people of the State.
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Adesoji noted that the rally has drawn thousands of souls to God while impacting lives spiritually and physically.
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?He further disclosed that the Church has gone beyond preaching the gospel to actively engage in impactful initiatives through its Christian Social Responsibility programmes.
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?These include skills acquisition centres, maternity centres across the State, a rehabilitation centre for persons battling substance abuse, and an Innovative Mind Hub.
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