Traditional Institution and Nation Building: The Role of Traditional Rulers in the Maintenance of National Security for Sustainable Development

Nigeria has been faced with many security challenges especially since her return to democracy in 1999. Since 1999, the nation witnessed serious security challenges that has not only threatened her existence as a nation but has defied all solutions for its eradication including the efforts of the security agencies to tackle the problem. This calls for an urgent attention and collaboration of the traditional rulers in checking the rising tide of insecurity in Nigeria. As the rulers of various communities, and the custodian of the people’s culture, they have a grip of the people at the grass root and therefore can mobilize the people for action against insecurity in their domain and by extension the nation. The paper is to examine not only the roles of the traditional rulers in the maintenance of security for an effective nation building but also how the institution to be restructured for it to perform better in the maintenance of national security for sustainable development in Nigeria. This demands that the traditional institution be restructured in a way and manner that it will operate optimally in the maintenance of national security. Introduction: Nigeria since independence in 1960 has witnessed various political crisis that brought about insecurity, destruction of lives and properties as well as disruption of socio-economic life of the people. However, the crisis assumed a different dimension, becoming more sophisticated, more deadly, more militarized with a wider UJAH Volume 21 No. 4, 2020 (Special Edition) 202 international terrorists connections. The development progressed from activism to agitators that adopted civil disobedience as a means to press for their demands to militancy, with sophisticated military weapons and now on the level of terrorism with weapons of mass destruction and having connections with international terrorist organizations such as the Al Quada, ISIS etc. As Mordi observed on the increased of crisis in Nigeria, he stated that “rather than abate with the dawn of democratic governance, violent agitation in Nigeria, including the Niger Delta reached a new height with separatist or selfdetermination goals. Nigeria became a huge guerrilla jungle and a source of nightmare to her citizens and the international community alike instead of a democratic eldorado, with the May 29, 1999 handover of power by the military president” (163). As a result of the inability of the political leaders and the elites to tackle the problem of insecurity in Nigeria, there is the need to turn to the traditional rulers for a possible solution to this monster, insecurity. The traditional rulers are traditionally, the head of their ethnic group, clan or community. They hold the highest executive authority in such communities and has been appointed to the position in accordance with the people’s culture, custom and tradition. Their office and power has been recognized by the government through the presentation of “staff of office”, which is an instrument of power. The traditional rulers having been recognized by the government as the leader of their people, has been playing a great role in the management of the people and their affairs. Therefore, their role in conflict management, resolution and prevention cannot be over emphasized as they manage people in their domain and resolve conflicts in the society in order to ensure that, there is peace and stability. Igwubor: Traditional Institution and Nation Building: The Role of Traditional Rulers in the Maintenance of National Security for Sustainable Development 203 The Role of Traditional Rulers in the Maintenance of National Security for Sustainable Development The traditional rulers as the leaders of the people and custodian of the people’s culture and tradition are highly respected and revered by the people within and outside their domain. Their words are laws to the people and their advice and opinions on issues are respected and accepted. This is so, because they are seen as intermediaries between the people and the gods and the ancestors, and as such, cannot be disobeyed or disrespected. There is the need therefore, for the government to partner and collaborate with them to resolve National crisis and conflicts that could escalate to the level of terrorism in Nigeria. The terrorists and militants belonged to an ethnic group that has a king. They listen to the traditional rulers because of the respect they have for them. The government need to back and encourage the traditional rulers to talk to their people to shelve violence, just as the government did in the Niger Delta recently through the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) which persuaded the Niger Delta militants to shelve ad suspend all actions of militancy in the region which they did. This created stability and boosted economic activities in the region and increased the wealth of the nation. The traditional rulers can reach the people involved in terrorism and militancy in Nigeria and call them for dialogue and negotiation. The people have the confidence of the traditional rulers and would always confide in them. The government should empower and encourage the traditional rulers to open up the channel of communication with the people, especially the aggrieved ones to know their grievances and demands. The government would not have the capacity to do so because the people might have lost confidence on them just as Ighoavodha noted, “from the optimism that prevailed in the 1960s to the unease and apprehension of the late 1970s, the mood in contemporary Africa has shifted to one of acute anxieties. Commentators now speak of a ‘loss of confidence’ and write of a UJAH Volume 21 No. 4, 2020 (Special Edition) 204 struggle of survival” (1). Africans, though has lost confidence on their political leaders as result of corruption, underdevelopment and ineffective leadership, they have an implicit confidence on the traditional rulers. This can be seen on the honour and respect accorded to traditional institutions and rulers in Africa. The traditional rulers can negotiate or initiate the process of negotiation for the government in order to achieve peace for sustainable development in Nigeria. Traditional rulers promote peace, foster cohesion and contribute to the political system of governance. The aim of Government is to ensure that the people, irrespective of tribe or language live harmoniously in an area. This creates political stability that aids development. It ensured the safety of the people and their properties in an area and also held to attract investors. When there are investors, the economy of an area is stimulated, jobs are created, leading to employment and eradication of youth restiveness. Employment is an anti-dote to crimes, militancy and violent agitations. The traditional rulers in ensuring peaceful co-existence in their domain, ensure that the security of the area is guaranteed. This is a major factor in nation building and national security. As Erezene observed, “no responsible country play with its security” (16). This is so because security is the basic factor in the existence and survival of the society and the nation. Therefore as the traditional rulers promotes peaceful co-existence, peace and security in their domains, they are playing a major role in the promotion of national security which is a factor in national development. There is the need for the government to encourage the traditional rulers in this regard to ensure continuous peace and harmony in the society. The society is dynamic and continues to change from time to time and it need peace and security in all ramifications to sustain the change. The government adapt to the change by modernizing and changing her policies to meet the realities of modernization and Igwubor: Traditional Institution and Nation Building: The Role of Traditional Rulers in the Maintenance of National Security for Sustainable Development 205 globalization. The traditional rulers therefore, remain a major force of stability in moments of change. They can serve as intermediaries to ensure that change occur in an orderly and familiar way. In ensuring this, they display an impressive flexibility, adapting to measures that will help meet the needs of the people in order to ensure that there is peace, stability, progress and development in their area or community. They lead their people to adapt to change by publicly accepting the change in spite of the consequences and challenges. The government, to maintain an effective leadership and good governance, comes up with policies that will ensure its realization. However, in the recent times, people and communities do rise against such policies. It is the duty of the traditional rulers to help disseminate information on government policies and explain its purpose to the people. This has been the practice from the colonial period. This has to a large extent been neglected by the government in recent times. The government needed the traditional rulers not only to explain her policies to the people, but also, help in implementing such policies so as to avoid frictions and conflicts between the people and government leading to instability. As Smith noted, “he who attempts to remove the stability which chieftaincy provides without first ensuring an even greater stability is courting disaster” (22). Therefore, for any government to come up with a policy, especially on a sensitive national issues without letting in the traditional rules to play a role, either in its dissemination or implementation is courting a great disaster for such a policy. It should be noted that, just as the British could not do without the Chiefs and traditional rulers during the colonial period in implementing her policies, so will Nigeria cannot do without them, as they are major a force against factors of instability, disintegration and social chaos. Traditional rulers are a major factor in the unity of the nation. They remain a great force in