[size=15pt]Okorocha empowers royal fathers[/size]

Published on 05 July 2011

EMMA OGU, Owerri




Imo state governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha has increased the powers of traditional rulers in the state with new responsibilities backed up with new salary structure and welfare package.

Under the arrangement, traditional rulers are now governors and chief security officers in their respective communities under Okorocha’s 4th tier of government called community government. The royal fathers will also coordinate the activities of vigilante groups and take responsibilities of developing the alternative dispute resolution strategy meant to decongest the courts of over crowded cases.

For these new roles the governor announced that the royal fathers will henceforth be given security votes while their salaries have been increased by the government.

Chief Okorocha who disclosed this yesterday at a breakfast meeting with journalists in the state however, warned that no traditional ruler is allowed to live outside his community and anyone who decides to live outside his community must appoint a regent and handover his staff of office to him at his own risk. He further warned that any royal father whose communitiy is found to be harbouring criminals stand the risk of losing his staff of office.


He also stated that traditional rulers henceforth are not allowed to issue chieftaincy titles to people without the approval of the government. According to him, all title holders will now under go recertification in the state. The measure he said is to stem the tide of frivolous and mockery titles being issued by traditional rulers adding that government will investigate any one to be given title to know what he has done to merit the title.

The governor further said that no traditional ruler is allowed to go to police station for purposes of securing bail for detained suspects even as no traditional ruler will speak English in public function as a way of promoting our language and culture.

He explained that the alternative dispute resolution practice in our communities has become very necessary not only to decongest our courts but to promote peace and harmony among the people even as the system in tandem with our culture and tradition which is based on amicable way of settling disputes.

"We have discovered that any time any of our people go to court they come back enemy for life but any time communities intervene in dispute they come back hugging themselves. We increased the salary of traditional rulers to motivate them and increase the strength of 4th tier of government which make them governor of their various communities".

The number one citizen of the state also explained that the recent dissolution of the state council of traditional rulers headed by Eze Cletus Ilomuanya was done in good faith and for the purposes of sanitizing the traditional institution which he said was almost going down the drain and becoming so actively political to the extent that the royal fathers lost their bearing.

He said: "It got to a stage where you can no longer differentiate the traditional ruler from a politician. We need to restore the dignity of traditional institution as custodian of culture".

Meanwhile, Okorocha announced a non refundable deposit of N1 million for any group that is seeking autonomous community. He said already the state has six hundred traditional rulers with people still yearning for new communities. He said the non refundable fee of N1 million is not even a guarantee that such community will be created upon payment as government will also look at conditions for autonomous communities including population and economic viability.

On the ten thousand job programme of Ikedi Ohakim administration which his government suspended, the governor said the exercise is being reviewed and only those who were really give job will be asked to go back to their positions but noted that there is no factory or ministry in the state today that can take ten thousand job.

He said his government has approved the eighteen thousand naira minimum wage for workers while a back to land programme meant for agricultural revolution will be launched to create jobs for the youths.


http://www.champion.com.ng/displaycontent.asp?pid=9833

Okorocha is doing a good job.

Isn't this guy just the shrewedest leader of our time?

afam4eva:

Isn't this guy just the shrewedest leader of our time?

He has the spirit of Dr. Okpara!

I'm jealous

Obiagu1:

I'm jealous

I am jealous as well. Abia state needs this type of transformation.

Go Rochas!

This guy has no paucity of ideas. I think this is a radical and fresh approach to community governance. Amaechi should take note and implement same in Rivers State.

Let us see where Kidnappers can hide now.
But come to think of it: 600 TRADITIONAL RULERS IN A SMALL STATE!

A small state according to the Nigerian map.But not as small in reality.

Obiagu1:

I'm jealous

Me too, I wish delta state had such a governor.

Jesus! Someone has been stealing my ideas.

D Ex-guvnors should be ashamed of themselves nw and i wish other guvnors will borrow a leaf from his progressive administration.He sure is looking forward to leaving lasting Legacies after his terms expire.

These are APGA ideologies, they have been in operation in Anambra for years now. . .

experience:

These are APGA ideologies, they have been in operation in Anambra for years now. . .

Nigeria is in dire need of APGA's idealogy then.

Good ideas. . .

OMG. Real Fresh air

This is innovative governance. He has effectively checked local mafias who hide under cover of community support and traditional rulers impotence.

But on second look, hasn't he created a very powerful and easily abused central authority for himself?  What r his checks and balances? I'm sure they r much weaker now. I pray he doesn't go dt way.

Good ideas for re-empowering community at its roots.

Few issues to be clarified.

1. English, the Nation's official language, is prohibited in public functions. That's not goood!

2. Admission by the Governor that civil law is dysfunctional and ineffective in resolving conflicts and holding the community together.

3. Autonomous community. There is going to be an explosion of applicants for frivolous reasons.

Rocha wants to hold the community together, which is a good ideal, but some of the provisions are too liberal and counter-effective to these ideals.

homerac7:

This is innovative governance. He has effectively checked local mafias who hide under cover of community support and traditional rulers impotence.

But on second look, hasn't he created a very powerful and easily abused central authority for himself?  What r his checks and balances? I'm sure they r much weaker now. I pray he doesn't go dt way.

I do not agree with you here because its the work of the legislature to checkmate his activities and not royal fathers, remember he is a trained lawyer and its clearly written that he is working with in the confines of the constitution

Negro_Ntns:

Good ideas for re-empowering community at its roots.

Few issues to be clarified.

1. English, the Nation's official language, is prohibited in public functions. That's not goood!

2. Admission by the Governor that civil law is dysfunctional and ineffective in resolving conflicts and holding the community together.

3. Autonomous community. There is going to be an explosion of applicants for frivolous reasons.

Rocha wants to hold the community together, which is a good ideal, but some of the provisions are too liberal and counter-effective to these ideals.

Please read through the article again, only point 2 makes sense, 1 and 3 points out your lack of understanding of the issues addressed

Please make me understand 1 and 3 in ways different than I already outlined them.

Imo State is moving

@ Blink,

Yes, he may be a lawyer, but don't u think dt makes him smarter to circumvent d law? Most abused policy started wt good intents. Every law has inherent weaknesses, only smart crooks know how to play it. I'm not saying dts what d governor is abt doing, but we hav to be careful so dt he doesn't tend dt way.

@ Negro,

D constitution makes provision for English or any Nigeria language for official functions. So its proper within d ambit of d law, and more welcome for traditional settings.

So the Chief of Yorubas or the Chief of Hausas in Imo state can hold public functions in a rented space in the city hall or even in the public sQuare and deliver the whole event in nothing but Yoruba or Hausa as the case maybe?

You say that promotes community goodwill?

Imo state, i am proud of u all

God bless Imo state and Nigeria

Negro_Ntns:

Please make me understand 1 and 3 in ways different than I already outlined them.

As regards 1, its tied only to the Obi at functions. Since the obi is not expected to travel out of his community I guess they should be just fine. As for 3, there will not be an explosion because the governor has clearly stated paying the money guarantees nothing and N1m is no small money to throw away or gamble away rather.

homerac7:

@ Blink,

Yes, he may be a lawyer, but don't u think dt makes him smarter to circumvent d law? Most abused policy started wt good intents. Every law has inherent weaknesses, only smart crooks know how to play it. I'm not saying dts what d governor is abt doing, but we hav to be careful so dt he doesn't tend dt way.

@ Negro,

D constitution makes provision for English or any Nigeria language for official functions. So its proper within d ambit of d law, and more welcome for traditional settings.

I get your point now but then the legislature hopefully will check his excesses

<Quote> As regards 1, its tied only to the Obi at functions. Since the obi is not expected to travel out of his community I guess they should be just fine. </quote>

There is no limitation to the number of public functions or the broadness or category that Obi can participate in.

The Obi's community is relatively broad and consist of speakers of non-igbo.

I understand your interest in the particulars here but let me give a situational example to highlight what I'm saying.

Say the Emir of a state in North is giving address at a public function and in which the delivery is in Hausa. That does not encourage non-Hausa speakkers to attend. That does not glue the community together.


<Quote> As  for 3, there will not be an explosion because the governor has clearly stated paying the money guarantees nothing and N1m is no small money to throw away or gamble away </quote>

The Governor makes the rule but he does interprete and administer it. The process of the application and approval will be far more robust than he has announced.

There are applicants that the idea of an autonomous community holds such great appeal that they are willing to spend three times the cost just to bypass the red tape and get the certification. That autonomy equates political iDentity and has economic rewardS far worth more that 1M.

His community centerdness approach is good for consolidation of common interests but supporting autonomy at the grassroot, by contrast, tears those very common fabric apart.

Negro_Ntns:

<Quote> As regards 1, its tied only to the Obi at functions. Since the obi is not expected to travel out of his community I guess they should be just fine. </quote>

There is no limitation to the number of public functions or the broadness or category that Obi can participate in.

The Obi's community is relatively broad and consist of speakers of non-igbo.

I understand your interest in the particulars here but let me give a situational example to highlight what I'm saying.

Say the Emir of a state in North is giving address at a public function and in which the delivery is in Hausa. That does not encourage non-Hausa speakkers to attend. That does not glue the community together.


<Quote> As  for 3, there will not be an explosion because the governor has clearly stated paying the money guarantees nothing and N1m is no small money to throw away or gamble away </quote>

The Governor makes the rule but he does interprete and administer it. The process of the application and approval will be far more robust than he has announced.

There are applicants that the idea of an autonomous community holds such great appeal that they are willing to spend three times the cost just to bypass the red tape and get the certification. That autonomy equates political iDentity and has economic rewardS far worth more that 1M.

His community centerdness approach is good for consolidation of common interests but supporting autonomy at the grassroot, by contrast, tears those very common fabric apart.

I get your points, I do not think there is perfect policy so I believe as the weaknesses of the policy starts showing, corrections will be made. All the same I believe this guy is climbing fast on the popularity ladder with his governance

@OP

The title of the thread is very erroneous and misleading. Governor of a state can not increase or reduce the power or functionality of a traditional ruler of a particular autonomous community because of the dictate of various culture and tradition which are sources of powers to traditional rulers.

Rochas Okorocha is a dictatorial sleazebag. If the traditional rulers should be held responsible for acts of kidnapping in their various communities, Rochas Okorochas should be equally held responsible for any act of armed robbery or kidnap in Imo State.

I do not think democracy means anything to Rochas Okorocha and hope he should be paid back in kind. Governor could reform a state’s socio-politico-economic culture without being dictatorial.

Dede1:

@OP

The title of the thread is very erroneous and misleading. Governor of a state can not increase or reduce the power or functionality of a traditional ruler of a particular autonomous community because of the dictate of various culture and tradition which are sources of powers to traditional rulers.

Rochas Okorocha is a dictatorial sleazebag. If the traditional rulers should be held responsible for acts of kidnapping in their various communities, Rochas Okorochas should be equally held responsible for any act of armed robbery or kidnap in Imo State.

I do not think democracy means anything to Rochas Okorocha and hope he should be paid back in kind. Governor could reform a state’s socio-politico-economic culture without being dictatorial.

My brother you are very WRONG.

Rochas Okorocha is bringing meaningful change to Imo state. You are simply a detractor.

EzeUche:

My brother you are very WRONG.

Rochas Okorocha is bringing meaningful change to Imo state. You are simply a detractor.

Thank you for such rare observation. Detractor or not, I do not banter from the sentimental and emotional plank. Inciting one section of community against another is dangerous precedent that will eventually consume the instigator. It is funny Okorocha is now popularly known as a viper. By the way, what reform are you alluding in your post?

EzeUche:

My brother you are very WRONG.

Rochas Okorocha is bringing meaningful change to Imo state. You are simply a detractor.

A big one at that.

I wonder who is being sentimental here, I thank heavens that all detractors can do is make useless comments but can not actively derail progress on track.

Dede1:

Thank you for such rare observation. Detractor or not, I do not banter from the sentimental and emotional plank. Inciting one section of community against another is dangerous precedent that will eventually consume the instigator. It is funny Okorocha is now popularly known as a viper.  By the way, what reform are you alluding in your post?

Do you think Okorocha warrant such detraction? The man has only been governor for 2 months. Why use such descriptions of him? Imo state needs radical change and Okorocha will provide this change. Viper or not, I support Okorocha. We need vipers in Igboland politics. Better a viper than a goat.