By Akeem Abas
Chief Adegboyega Adegoke, the Aare Onibon of Ibadanland, has called on the government to involve traditional institutions in governance.
He made the call on Friday in Ibadan shortly after his promotion from Bada Balogun of Ibadanland to Are Onibon by Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adegoke, a senatorial aspirant, had reacted to the increasing incidents of civil disturbances among some groups in Ibadan.
Adegoke, the Executive Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of OES Energy Services, is the Founder of Adegoke Resource Centre (AARC), an NGO, and Solutions 93.9FM, among other investments.
He said that government needed to involve traditional rulers in governance, considering their closeness to the people.
The Ibadan chief called on the National Assembly to amend the constitution to accommodate roles for traditional rulers in governance.
“To reduce insecurity to the barest minimal there should be responsibility for traditional rulers across board, which should be spelt out constitutionally,” he said.
Adegoke said that security was germane to national development and peaceful coexistence in any community.
“It is high time the government took security issues more seriously by delegating constitutional roles to traditional rulers.
“This will allow them have firsthand information on security issues in their various communities and address whatever security challenges that may arise from their respective domain,” he said.
He said that security as the backbone of any society was tied to its social, political, economic and cultural growth.
According to him, inadequacy of this vital ingredient of development has led to all manner of social ills, including crimes such as armed robbery, ritual killings, child trafficking, among others.
Adegoke attributed the lingering insecurity in the society to the lack of job opportunities and poor economy, saying an idle hand was a devil’s tool.
He appealed to all well-meaning Ibadan indigenes across the world to use their connections to bring more developmental projects to the city.
The Ibadan chief maintained that government on its part should make traditional rulers more responsible constitutionally to their domain to reduce vices.
“It is very hard to see anyone who will not recognise their traditional ruler. They recognise them more than their local government chairman.
“For democracy to thrive, there is the need for the involvement of traditional rulers in governance particularly in the area of security,” he said.
Adegoke promised to bring more developmental projects to Ibadan toward creating employment opportunities for youths. (NAN)
