Traditional Institutions at The Mercy of Governors

Traditional rulers are the chief custodian of our culture. They should be insulated from the whims of governors, writes Oluwole Osagie - Jacobs

In recent years, traditional institutions have been assaulted in many ways tending to undermine their importance and relevance. They have been buffeted by incipient transitional demands, cruel reforms, deposition and suspension through government fiat. History reminds us that there was time monarchism was seen as a legitimate form of governance with a divine approval. In the Bible, the Israelites who had hitherto been ruled by judges asked God for a king having envied the developed civilizations of the Egyptians, Assyrians and the Philistines around them under absolute monarchs. Thus, monarchy was instituted which lasted up to the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel. This regime of kingship was decimated by the revolt of the oppressed subjects, kingship tussles and bad governance culminating in the prophetic revolution of Jehu the tenth king of the northern kingdom.

In England, there was absolutism under the Tudors, during the reign of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I between 1509 and 1603. Surprisingly, their policies were mass oriented and popular. The Stuarts, (James I and Charles I) who reigned between 1603 and 1640 ruled without parliament and antagonized the middle class. They were expelled by the “glorious revolution” of 1688. The Bill of Rights was passed a year later which curtailed the power of kings to suspend laws, maintain courts, army and levy taxes without the consent of Parliament. In France, the rule of absolute and incompetent monarchs like Louis XV and Louis XVI between 1715 and 1792 led to the French revolution which began in 1789. Socialism which had a firm footing in many countries of the east was anti monarchy. Many monarchies were obliterated while some were made effeminate. In Nigeria, the British were complicit in chasing away from their kingdoms Nana Olomu of Itsekiri (1852 – 1916), Oba Ovonramwen of Benin (1857 – 1914) and King Jaja of Opobo (1821 – 1891) for daring to assert control over trade in their territories.

In Africa, right from the middle of the century we have witnessed the death of prominent monarchies. In Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic monarchs were formerly Heads of State. Therefore, the undermining of traditional institutions has precedent in history.

In Nigeria, the recent decapitation of the Kano Emirate by Governor Ganduje jolted many. Many see it as misuse of power deriving from executive madness. How dare you extinguish with

a stroke of the pen the grandeur of an emirate that had been in existence for 214 years? His perception is that the emirate is an artificial contraption that could be dismembered at the pleasure of the governor. This is possible because the emirate is not sitting on a legal framework shielding it from abuse. It is nauseating when viewed against the fact that Governor Ganduje is alleged to be caught on camera collecting bribe. There is moral duplicity comparable to a criminal preaching the gospel.

In Nigeria, infractions on the sanctity of traditional institutions are rife in political eras. In the year 1963, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi I, the Emir of Kano who is the grandfather of the present Emir of Kano was deposed by the northern regional government. It was fallout of the power tussle between him and Sir Ahamadu Bello the Premier of the northern region. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, was deposed on the orders of General Sani Abacha in 1996. In 1986 the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Umar Abba Tukur, was deposed by Colonel Yohana Madaki the governor of defunct Gongola State for alleged highhandedness. The deposition was not taken kindly by the northern establishment. Colonel Madaki being a Christian was seen to have overstepped his bounds.

The Fulani oligarchy would not take that from an “Arna’’ (Unbeliever). He was removed as governor. In the South West, Oba Adeniran Adeyemi was dethroned in 1955 by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Premier of the Western Region. His sin was his support of the NCNC, a rival party to the AG party in power. He was also alleged to be complicit in the demise of Chief Bode Thomas, an AG party chieftain. Oba Samuel Akinsanya, the Odemo of Isara, had his salary reduced to a kobo per year when Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola was Premier of Western Region. In the Midwest Region, the Olu of Warri, Erejuwa II was deposed in 1964 and sent on exile to Ogbesse in Ondo State by the NCNC-led regional government. It is of interest that in the West decimation of traditional institutions arising from bitter party politics spilled over to the new military regime which came in place in 1966. The traditional rulers who aligned with Chief Akintola’s ruling party, NNDP, must be punished. The victims were Oba Olateru Olagbegi of Owo and the Zaki of Arigidi – Akoko. The aftermath of insurrection in their domains led to their exile to Lagos. Many were outraged at the lousy manner Governor Adams Oshiomhole suspended the Enogie of Uromi for his failure to support the reelection of his APC party.

In my native Benin – City, we woke up one morning in 1998 to hear the news that the military administrator of Edo State, Navy Capt. Anthony Onyearugbulem, had suspended the Oba of Benin. He was removed as the Chairman of the state’s traditional council. Among the Binis the Oba is next to God. The land is the Oba’s and the fullness thereof and all those who dwell on it. ‘Obayantor’ is the Bini word for this perceived divine entitlement. The suspension of the Oba which the Binis considered an abomination was vehemently resented. They told the governor in clear terms that the Oba does not go on transfer.

The Bini mornachy is unique in that it is difficult to depose a king. There is only one ruling house and kingship is by primogeniture. If you remove a king no Bini man will step in as king. It is abomination. For example, Oba Ovonramwen was exiled to Calabar in 1897 and he died there in 1914. No Bini ascended the throne during this period. Oba Eweka II ascended the throne in 1914. Most Nigerian minority tribes have high regard for their traditional rulers. But it is a different story among the Igbo who have scant regard for traditional institutions. There is this ideology of personal independence that makes each Igbo person a king. For the reason that they are beholden to nobody the British system of indirect rule had little success in Igbo land.

Those who assert that traditional institutions are an aberration in this age are in error. Some Britons who view the British monarchy as sterile anachronism could not imagine a Britain without a monarchy. If the monarchy is abolished more than half the prestige Britain enjoys in the world would be gone. Today, the Queen of England is the reigning constitutional monarch of 16 Commonwealth realms including Canada and Australia that are very developed countries. Countries having very high standard of living in the world like Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain, Japan and Denmark have reigning monarchs.