manny4life:

What is wrong is that it was tagged as "gift" as opposed to official vehicles to be used in "discharging their duties" pertaining to state residents whom they govern.

aloy/emeka:

It doesn't matter which costs more because both deals are wrong besides, 6 cars may worth more than 463 cars. Its like justifying a thief who stole N5k in Lagos because another thief stole N100k in Enugu.

naptu2:

This things are not new. I remember that state governments bought cars for traditional rulers during the Babangida administration in the 1980s. The Obasanjo administration got the late Sultan Macido to explain government policy on girl child education to northerners (probably his last public function before his death). The government got Emirs to explain its policy on immunization (during the polio immunization crisis of the 2000s). Recently, Theodore Orji threatened to dethrone any traditional ruler who allows kidnapping to occur in his domain. This has always been the relationship between traditional rulers and government. Read the article below.

Plateau Gov't Buys Cars for Royal Fathers

29 September 2002

Lagos — Plateau State government has spent N51 million on the purchase of cars for traditional rulers and renovation of two palaces in the state, a top official has said.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ali Wuyep, said in Jos while briefing newsmen on activities of the ministry that the N17 million was spent on the purchase of 22 custom-made Mercedes Benz cars for the royal fathers in the state.

allafrica.com/stories/200209300413.html

naptu2:

This things are not new. I remember that state governments bought cars for traditional rulers during the Babangida administration in the 1980s. The Obasanjo administration got the late Sultan Macido to explain government policy on girl child education to northerners (probably his last public function before his death). The government got Emirs to explain its policy on immunization (during the polio immunization crisis of the 2000s). Recently, Theodore Orji threatened to dethrone any traditional ruler who allows kidnapping to occur in his domain. This has always been the relationship between traditional rulers and government. Read the article below.

Plateau Gov't Buys Cars for Royal Fathers

29 September 2002

Lagos — Plateau State government has spent N51 million on the purchase of cars for traditional rulers and renovation of two palaces in the state, a top official has said.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ali Wuyep, said in Jos while briefing newsmen on activities of the ministry that the N17 million was spent on the purchase of 22 custom-made Mercedes Benz cars for the royal fathers in the state.

allafrica.com/stories/200209300413.html

Eko Ile:

What is your problem gan sef? Na ya papa dey pay my internet bill ni? See me see trouble of ,

Back to sender sha.

“You are therefore expected to use your influence and education to sell government policies and programmes to your people and encourage them to cooperate with government, and thereby support its policies,” he said.

lastpage:

@Commissioner Kuye
So, the reason for the "gift" has been explained, along wit the gift itself!
Does anyone remember when Late MKO Abiola was detained in Prison and the Ooni of Ife (who was supposed to be the Paramount Yoruba Oba and a defender of Yoruba interest) was invited to Aso Rock? Only for him to come out and to everyone's consternation, the Ooni said: "The Man (Abacha) was making Sense"!
A few people said the Ooni got a lot of Ghana-must-go "gifts", to sound like that!

Again, when our late President was in the throes of death (Or probably dead a long time before then; RIP), some "traditional rulers and religious leaders" where invited to "see him in action", they came out and said "The president was actually very well and was just doing basic exercise like push-ups, somersaults , running 100M-dash, e.t.c, just to get his muscles back in shape, to run Nigeria better! But "The Man Died"!

Thus, we can sum-up that these traditional rulers have not only lost respect, they have become clowns, tools in the hands of "every" government in power and a disgrace to the traditional stools they sit on!
Most of them have become "beggers-to-government" instead of fulfilling their traditional role of custodians of our traditions! How can such an Oba fulfil his traditional role of "correcting or speaking truth to power"?

No wonder a Governor can just remove an Oba, anytime he likes! Where is the "traditional, spiritual selection process" that our forefathers use in selecting who occupies the esteemed traditional stool, in those days? What we have now are "cash-and-carry" Obas thus, their words holds nothing to the average Nigerian.

It might interest you that the govt has also copped-up to the strategy and uses money/gifts as inducement to these "men-of-the-belly", to make them "parrot" any unpopular policy they want to implement, hence the "instruction" of "a Commissioner" to "an Oba"! (Lord have mercy!)

Whether the people (subjects) still listen to these Obas or see them as a "modern-day joke  and "Area-Boyz", is out there for everyone to discern!

Lastpage

BTW: Whenever you introduce "ethnicity" into a serious issue like this, you make it sound trivial and it deflects away from the real bone of contention. What is wrong, is wrong; irrespective of who the perpetrator is, Period.

B. Welfare Packages/Incentives

    9 Nos Limousine Volvo Cars for all the 1st Class Chiefs while a Mercedes Limousine was provided for the Chairman State Council of Chiefs.
    Pilot Vehicles provided for all the 1st Class Chiefs.
    10 Nos 3 bedroom Modern Chalet was also built for all the 1st Class Chiefs in the State and a Duplex Building for the Chairman State Council of Chiefs.
    Construction/Renovation of Palaces of 1st Class Chiefs for which tendering is being processed.
    Review of the Salaries and Allowances of the graded chiefs in the State in progress.
    Overseas Medical Treatment for 1st Class Chief.
    Organized one day seminar for all categories of Traditional Rulers in the State.


http://www.kwarastate.gov.ng/local-government-and-chieftancy-affairs/ministry-of-local-government-and-chieftaincy-affairs.html

“All our royal fathers, in addition to their monthly stipends, enjoy the ride in comfort with brand new cars like Kia Sorento Jeeps which you graciously approved for them.," the commissioner said.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/community-news/28745-akpabio-tasks-traditional-rulers-on-inter-ethnic-harmony

Governor Theodore Orji announced this at the commissioning of a link road to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs where he also distributed 34 electric transformers, two to each of the 17 local councils in the state.



http://odili.net/news/source/2011/sep/9/6.html

Kobojunkie:

Yes, the average Nigerian tout's mind at work.[size=13pt] "If someone else steals it is wrong, however, when we are caught stealing, it should then follow that stealing ought to be endorsed"  [/size]. . . . .

A cross section of residents of Nsukka in Enugu State have applauded the award of official cars to traditional rulers in the state by Gov. Sullivan Chime

"It was a thing of shame before now, seeing a traditional ruler riding a motorcycle in his regalia. Some of them even trek long distances because they have no official cars.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201106150703.html

A custom-built state-of-the-art Mercedes Benz car, described as special breed worth N58,867,558.06 was, on Monday, presented to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, Abubakar III, by Governor Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State on behalf of the state government.

http://www.onlinenigeria.com/links/LinksReadPrint.asp?blurb=170

Sokoto — Sixty seven district heads and Imams of three Juma'at mosques in the Sokoto metropolis have been presented Mercedes Benz cars by the Sokoto State government.

The 250 and 300 Mercedes Benz series were distributed by Gov. Atahiru Bafarawa at a ceremony in the state capital.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200410260171.html

Car gift to Royal fathers: Chime is true son of Igbo land

The administration of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has concluded plans to present Chevrolet as official cars to over 80 traditional rulers in the state.

The cars are estimate to cost a whopping N2 billion, as, according to sources, each costs N2.5 million.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200903240157.html

The area council boss who presented vehicles to 20 traditional rulers on the occasion, also berated politicians, who he said only recognised the importance of the traditional rulers during electioneering campaigns campaigns and elections, and dumped them afterwards.

500% Gbam except the part that says "our late president". Abacha was our late dictator and not president.

aloy/emeka:

Stop saying rubbish sometimes. Show us proof that British taxpayers have an agreement to pay the royal family millions of pounds annually. If I recall very well, there are millions of Britons who still petition the idea of using their taxes for the upkeep of the Buckingham palace.

ekt_bear:

^-- Cosign on scrapping of the monarchy.