Towards curbing the spate of insecurities in communities in the Niger Delta, stakeholders have called for synergy between the traditional institution and other level of governance in the society.
They also called for the strengthening of the traditional institution in the country to enable them perform their functions effectively.
This, according to the stakeholders, will include the inclusion of the traditional institution in the highest decision-making level in the country.
This was part of resolutions at the end of the Annual OB Fubara Memorial Gold Lecture organized by the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) in Port Harcourt.
According to the stakeholders, criminality always thrive where the traditional institution is weak.
Consequently, they urged traditional rulers to work with chairmen of local government councils on issues concerning insecurity in their communities.
Meanwhile, the Nyeweli of Oro Evo Kingdom, HRM Eze Leslie Nyebuchi Eke, has blamed the non-inclusion of the traditional institution in policy making and manipulation by successive administrations as factors impeding the effective performances of the traditional institution in ensuring peace in their domain.
The First Class monarch said this at the annual OB Fubara Memorial Gold Lecture/Annual General Meeting be organized by the Rivers state chapter of the NIPR in Port Harcourt.
The event had as its theme: “Re -Engineering the traditional institution for Community Development Peace And youth Development In the Niger Delta”
Eze Eke said the traditional institution is also poorly funded, stressing that the situation has made it imperative for the role of the traditional institution to be properly defined in the face of the current crisis in the Niger Delta.
The traditional ruler said the Niger Delta is densely populated but heavily polluted by by oil spills.
According to him, the region needs a focused community development blueprint and commended the institute for the annual lecture.
Speaking, the National President of the NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, said the institute is using the late OB Fubara as a yardstick to measure the role of the traditional institution in peace building in the country.
He also said members of the institute can function effectively if they understand their environment very well.
The NIPR President also urged for value reorientation, adding that “OB Fubara is being celebrated because of his footprints in the sands of time”.
He said the society must cultivate the culture of mentorship, and that of service, saying service should never cease among people in the country.
“We must go back to service as it makes the way and redefines everything about ourselves”, he said.
Neliaku said the institute will continue to engage on issues that will advance the development of the country.
He said the institute will established energy public Relations Hub in Rivers State because of the enormous contributions of the state to the nation.
Also speaking, a former Commissioner in Rivers State, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, stressed the need for value re-orientation in the society.
Nsirim, who is a Governing Council member at the Board of the NIPR, said “the traditional institution can only be re-engineered if our value system is brought back”.
He noted that OB Fubara has left indelible footprints on the sands of time, adding that present generations must learn from the likes of Alabo OB Fubara .
Rivers State Chapter Chairman of the institute, Dr Rita Innoma Abbey, said the institute is one of the oldest professional organizations in the country.
She said the theme of the event was carefully crafted in view of the importance of the traditional institution.

By: John Bibor & Mercy Nobert