*INSECURITY: EZE UZU AWKA 111 CALLS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL ROLES FOR TRADITIONAL RULERS.*


*By Amb Timothy Nwachukwu*


*His Imperial Majesty Obi Dr, Austine Chukwuezugo Ndigwe, MON JP, Ezeuzu 3rd of Awka Ancient kingdom of Anambra State has made a clarion call for an amendment of the nation's constitution to provide for a robust constitutional roles for traditional rulers in the country due to the security challenges in Nigeria.*


The revered traditional ruler made the call when some traditional rulers visited him at the new site of his ongoing palace in Awka, He opined that under the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions, the Council of Chiefs was established in the regions and some of the traditional rulers even rose to become regional governors.

Furthermore, In the 1979 Constitution, traditional rulers were represented in the National Council of State. But the role of traditional rulers was virtually expunged in the 1999 Constitution, an indication of the declining status of the traditional institutions in the scheme of things.


He revealed that the continued non- involvement and the loss of traditional rulers constitutional roles with the attendant upheaval in Nigeria is fuelled by weak enforcement of legislations and
laws by relevant government agencies.


His Imperial Majesty stated that despite the overwhelming agreement on the crucial role of traditional rulers in the maintenance of peace and unity, there seems to be a sense of fear about the implication of strengthening their role statutorily, particularly, among the politicians.


Many politicians appear to be comfortable with traditional rulers being no more than mere appendages deriving their powers just from their subjects, rather than from the constitution of the country.


But the prevailing social and political conditions in the country dictate that the hands of the
traditional rulers should be strengthened to do more.


In spite of the above, they have been the pillars of national security from the grassroots to the centre in the country. It is an irony of fate that traditional rulers who are recognized in all States of the Federation are not given official recognition and security roles by the 1999
Constitution.


*His Imperial Majesty, Obi Dr Austine Ndigwe, Ezeuzu the 3rd therefore advocated that traditional rulers and security agents should be seen as partners in the onerous task of maintaining internal security. Since security is a collective responsibility as it is imperative that
traditional rulers should be ascribed official roles as they remain the focal point of the rural
populace.*