This article "Traditional Rulers and Democracy " was published in the Daily Trust of August 22, 2003

Let's for a moment ignore all the anomalies in Nigeria. The country is supposedly a democratic Federal Republic. In a democracy citizens have undeniable rights to determine who become their leaders and how they should be governed. But in a democratic Federal Republic of Nigeria there exist non-democratic institution -traditional rulers (Obis, Ezes, Obas, Sultans, Emirs, etc.) -along side democratic institutions that are often meddling in political affairs. Like the military, the people are not involved in selecting the traditional rulers to represent them and, therefore, they rule without the people's mandate. However, sycophants want to take advantage of the anomalies in the society to lobby for an undemocratic and unconstitutional role for traditional rulers in the political process. The problem with Nigeria is that it hardly does anything right. It often mixes apples with oranges!

In the past communities were able to tolerate the presence of traditional rulers in the midst of democratic institutions because those who occupied the position (during the time of our forefathers) were embodiment of wisdom and culture. They were impartial judges, opinion leaders and people of impeccable character. And they discharged their functions without fear or favor. At that time it was extremely difficult to bribe a traditional ruler because they valued their good reputation.

But those good old days are gone! The once revered and valued institution has been debased and politicized. The ‘traditional rulership’ position is now ‘monetized’ and it has become a gold mine. Thus traditional rulers participate in partisan politics and some of them are not truthful in their judgement and have dubious characters because they connive with criminals to rob communities of resources for community development programs. Some years ago in a community near Orlu in Imo State, a bundle of electrical cables meant for the electrification of the town that was left in the custody of the paramount chief of the community was stolen. The traditional ruler denied any knowledge of what happened to the cables when the angry community confronted him. The community felt that the traditional ruler was not telling the truth. This has since eroded the little confidence the community had left in him. The same traditional ruler has now ganged up with some individuals (many of whom are not educated beyond primary six) to set up a bogus private university in the community to exploit the gullible masses. Strangely, the National University Commission has not approved the so-called university and it has not acquired any piece of land or set up a single structure except a billboard the group hoisted bearing the name of the bogus institution at the site of a secondary school in the community. Yet, the group has been busy selling employment forms to individuals who are in dire need of employment.

Not too long ago two traditional rulers and 11 others were arrested in the Niger-Delta area "in connection with a robbery incident." As the Vanguard of April 28, 2000 reported, some of those arrested confessed that the traditional rulers "authorized them" to break into the premises of China National Petroleum Company in Akarahi Obodo to remove some of the company’s valuable items.

However, sorely and sadly, among the apologists of General Sani Abacha were traditional rulers whose voices in the days of our forefathers were associated with only the truth, honesty and progress. But instead of doing what would benefit the public during that trying period, the traditional rulers were seen at Aso Rock dinning and winning with the dictator while the masses withdrew into a life preoccupied with daily survival. Fortunately or unfortunately that era exposed their evil and corrupt practices; they supported the dictator and his self-succession bid despite his atrocious acts in the nation. That anti-democratic action was despicable and unpardonable! One could go on forever to list the dubious things some of the traditional rulers have been involved in. (Do not misunderstand this writer -there are some fairly enlightened, educated and good-mannered ones among them).

Nevertheless, in some localities the local government chairmen (before they were sent back were sent packing) were spending a big chunk of their meager resources in buying cars for the traditional rulers. And if information reaching this is writer is right, state governments are also paying them (monthly allowances?) for doing nothing while community roads and other social services remain unattended. This is part of the fraud in the system in which individuals are handsomely compensated monthly for being unproductive. And because of their penchant for corruption and lack the training and leadership skills to lead communities of intelligent and vibrant citizens, some of the traditional rulers are responsible for the breakup of the communities they are supposed to unify. Thus their involvement in local politics often leads to internal political infighting and sociopolitical instability. Worse still, some of them run ‘one-man dictatorship’ and collect bribes from the people whenever some of them are approached for any services. Thus the ‘traditional rulership’ position has out-lived its usefulness; the days are gone when the traditional rulers are the custodians of truth and the conscience of communities. Therefore, they would continue to be a clog in the wheel of community development and a threat to sociopolitical stability if they were allowed to operate in the midst of legitimate democratic political institutions.

As mentioned earlier, our forefathers who introduced the ‘traditional rulership’ position recited incantations and condemned evils because they were men of probity. What they apparently had in mind was to make traditional rulers the custodians of truth. Nevertheless, our forefathers must be restive in their graves over the unfortunate politicization of this formerly reputable position. For instance, some of them were known to have endorsed the recent fuel price increases in the society and participated in the rigging of elections during the 2003 politics. Recall that many Nigerians of goodwill argued against the increase in petroleum product prices because it would cripple the economy and affect the poor disproportionately.

Thus assigning a constitutional role to traditional ruler in Nigeria’s democratic political process would not in any way contribute to the development of the localities. It would, instead, bastardize the system and retard the progress of the grassroots because some of them are ignorant of what constitutes community development. Therefore, their position is not relevant to the welfare of the people. Added to this is the evil of the undemocratic and inherent hereditary nature of the position. At this period in our civilization no imbecile should be foisted on a community as a traditional ruler in the name of custom and tradition. This system that is in most part detrimental to the sociopolitical and economic development of communities is politically, ethically, morally and practically wrong. Therefore, this undemocratic tradition should go because it holds the people back. Communities should challenge the 'divine right' and the ‘hereditary succession’ to ‘traditional rulership’ position. And since Nigeria is now toying with a democratic political system, the position, if it would be allowed to remain, should become an elective position as principles of democracy detect. As one commentator rightly noted in the Daily Independent of August 19, 2003, ‘any traditional ruler that wants to have a role in governance should throw off the toga of a traditional ruler’ and campaign and contest an election. If not, where is the redress of the communities?

And as Thomas Paine (1737-1809) said of the monarchy,

Nobody should become a thin-god in a community because the father was one; everyone should earn his or her status. That’s the way of life! As an Irish proverb has it, ‘you’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grand father was.’ If Nigeria wants to practice a democratic system it has to be done properly. Our judgment now matters because they will shape the tradition we shall pass on to the next generation. Unless traditional rulers are elected any role assigned to them in our democratic constitutional setting is contradictory. More importantly, the public would not have any recourse when they fail to differentiate the public purse from their private ones.