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Alhaji Inuwa Ibara, Onu Igala of Bauchi State, left
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
The need to assign constitutional roles to the traditional institutions in the country has been stressed if the country is to overcome the present security challenges militating against the corporate existence of the country.
The assertion was made by the Onu Igala of Bauchi State, Alhaji Inuwa ibara while speaking with journalists in Bauchi on Sunday shortly after witnessing the election of new leadership for the Igala Cultural Development Association (ICDA).
He said that, “The traditional institution has a great role to play in promoting peace and peaceful co-existence among Nigerian Citizens, but the institution has been relegated to the background in this country and that is why we are having problems all over the country”.
The traditional ruler added that, “If you go down memory lane, the traditional institutions were playing significant role in the administration of the country. You will discover that most of the problems we are facing today were not there but with a new dispensation in the country, things changed”.
He further said that, “and that is why we are facing the challenges across the country, because traditional rulers have no say now, even if he sees something happening in his domain, he does not have the power to say anything, no authority to operate because, if he tries to stop it by exercising the power, he will run into trouble because there is no constitutional role for him to do so. A constitutional role for traditional rulers will go a long way in solving the problems”.
He expressed confidence that the present insecurity challenges can be effectively tackled when Nigerians believe in the Nigeria project knowing that unity is the best ingredient needed to move forward positively.
Inuwa Ibara also stressed the need for tolerance among Nigerians wherever they are because according to him, “we are one, we have common source of existence, tribe is just used to identify where one comes from. We should see ourselves as brothers and sisters, one people united by divine grace. Together we can change the narrative of the country.
“I have been in Bauchi state for over 40 years now, and I can say that things are changing now, when I came to Bauchi there was nothing like differences in relationships with each other but now that people are after monetary gains, things have changed negatively but my advice is that we should learn how to live together, work together because we are all one, tribe is only to differentiate where we come from, we are all from the same source”, he stressed.
He added that, “if you look at the root, you will discover that we are all the same. I am calling on all of us to join hands together to move the country forward positively for the good of the people” .
