The executive Governor of Kogi State, Alh. Yahaya Bello has issue new directives preventing traditional rulers across the 21 local Government Area of Kogi State from creating any chiefdom without the approval from the State government.
The Governor said the order become necessary in other to prevent crisis arising from Chieftaincy in the State.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Salami Ozigi disclosed the development on Tuesday in Lokoja during a meeting with the traditional council and local government administrators.
Barr. Ozigi said “No traditional ruler must take any step to create any chiefdom without the notice or authority of the state government.
“No traditional institutions must create or crown any chief or district head either temporarily or permanently without government authority.
“The creation of such chiefs and head by traditional rulers has caused a lot of crises in the state. Majority of the insecurity witnessed in the state, and 70 percent of legal matters against the state government steamed from chieftaincy and land crises.
Any undue appointments or creation of traditional head without recourse to the government will be dealt with, there will be consequences; both the appointed and the traditional ruler that made such appointments will be not be spared.”
“Crime and criminality have left the local area and moved to the highways because of government efforts, what is left in the rural areas are chieftaincy crises.
Reacting to development, the Attah Igala, HRM Ameh Oboni (11) urged the state government to look into the land and Traditional law operative in the state said it was created without the involvement of the traditional institutions.
“The state government must look at the gazette used for traditional institutions. There is need to amend the foundation. The structure was not good, that is why the house is shaking.
“Presently, the traditional rulers are finding it difficult to operate between traditional law and modern law. There is need to review the law. All is not well with the gazette used for traditional institutions in the state.”
“The rush for traditional rulers to get 1st or 2nd class is not ideal. Many 1st class rulers have no responsibility for their positions.
It is high time traditional rulers put into consideration the check and balances of our land. There are 1st and 2nd class rulers who have no power on land matters; they are just holding on to ‘juju’ tittle.”
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