The Asiwaju of Ijesaland and Chairman of the Ijesa Community Development Assembly (ICDA), Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi, has called for the constitutional repositioning of traditional institutions in Nigeria, arguing that the country's worsening insecurity presents a historic opportunity for traditional rulers to reclaim their relevance in governance and community security.
In a comprehensive position paper released on Saturday, Fasuyi described Nigeria's escalating security challenges—including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and communal conflicts—as issues that require community-driven solutions beyond conventional security structures.
According to him, traditional institutions remain one of the most underutilized assets in Nigeria's governance framework despite their proven historical role in maintaining peace, security, justice, and social order before the advent of colonial rule.
"Long before colonial administration, traditional rulers effectively served as custodians of governance, security managers, administrators of justice, and guardians of communal values. They were not ceremonial figures but active defenders of their people and territories," he stated.
Fasuyi noted that colonial authorities deliberately weakened traditional institutions because of their influence and legitimacy among local populations, while successive political administrations after independence continued the marginalization of traditional rulers by excluding them from formal governance structures.
He argued that the 1999 Constitution further diminished the role of traditional institutions by failing to assign them any constitutional responsibilities despite their grassroots influence and community acceptance.
Traditional Rulers Hold the Key
The ICDA Chairman maintained that the growing demand for the establishment of state police validates the principle that security challenges are best addressed at the local level.
"Traditional rulers understand their communities, know the people, command respect, and possess the trust required to mobilize citizens against criminal activities," he said.
He emphasized that any sustainable strategy to combat insecurity must incorporate traditional institutions as active stakeholders rather than ceremonial observers.
12-Point Security Framework Proposed
To demonstrate the capacity of traditional institutions in addressing insecurity, Fasuyi proposed a 12-step framework designed to strengthen community-based security across the country.
Among the recommendations are:
Convening regular consultations between monarchs and ward, district, and street chiefs.
Establishing local security committees in communities.
Holding local traditional leaders accountable for security within their jurisdictions.
Creating coordinated security networks among neighbouring communities.
Establishing community-wide security coordination committees under traditional rulers.
Promoting "Know Your Neighbour" initiatives.
Encouraging citizens to report suspicious activities through confidential channels.
Conducting regular security review meetings.
Creating Community Security Funds supported by residents and stakeholders.
Establishing direct communication channels between traditional rulers and state governors.
Creating regional security coordination structures in large cultural territories such as Ijesaland, Ibadanland, Egbaland, and Ijebuland.
Institutionalising periodic security briefings between governors and traditional rulers.
Call for Community Participation
Fasuyi stressed that government alone cannot shoulder the burden of securing the nation, urging citizens, civil society organizations, religious institutions, and traditional institutions to actively participate in safeguarding lives and property.
He further argued that successful participation by traditional rulers in tackling insecurity would strengthen the case for their formal recognition within Nigeria's constitutional framework.
"Our revered royal fathers possess immense social capital, moral authority, grassroots legitimacy, and cultural influence. These assets can be mobilized in support of national security objectives," he said.
"The time has come for traditional institutions to move beyond ceremonial relevance and reclaim their historic role as custodians of community peace, stability, and security."
Constitutional Recognition Through Performance
Fasuyi concluded that if traditional institutions can demonstrate measurable success in improving security within their domains, they would provide compelling justification for the constitutional recognition they have long sought.
Describing the current moment as both urgent and historic, he urged traditional rulers across the country to take proactive steps in supporting government efforts to combat insecurity and restore public confidence in local governance structures.
"The moment is historic. The challenge is urgent. The opportunity is now," he declared.
This version follows the standard structure of an online news report with a strong headline, lead paragraph, subheadings, balanced reporting style, and clear attribution.
FULL TEXT BELOW:
INSECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA: A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL REPOSITIONING OF TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA
Nigeria today stands at a critical crossroads in its national journey. Across the length and breadth of our country, communities are confronted with escalating security challenges ranging from terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, communal conflicts, and other forms of violent criminality. The increasing sophistication of these threats has placed enormous pressure on conventional security structures and has necessitated the urgent search for innovative, community-driven, and sustainable solutions.
Amidst these challenges lies a historic and unprecedented opportunity for one of Nigeria's oldest, most respected, and most enduring governance structures—the Traditional Institution
Long before the advent of colonial rule, our Traditional Institutions had been effectively recognized for excellent and effective centre of governance, justice administration, security management, cultural preservation and community management of their respective domains.
During this pre-colonial era, traditional rulers of old were not ceremonial figures, they were reputed to be productively, defenders of their people, guardians of communal values, coordinators of local security architecture, and securely administering their respective communities. Any form of both internal and external aggression were promptly responded to.
In Yorubaland for instance, there were many inter and intra community feuds that were promptly responded to by the respective royal rulers. The beauty and strength of their wisdom could be found in the Administrative Structure established by the various traditional institutions in managing their jurisdictions. Every ward and street till today has a traditional Chief who administers his area under the umbrella of the community traditional chiefs. Who says our Traditional Institutions cannot be compared with the best contemporary administrative structure anywhere in the world, even better than what was in place at the colonial master's home country.
Unfortunately, the advent of the colonial rule disrupted and gradually weakened these indigenous governance structures. This was not because they lack effectiveness, but largely because colonial authorities viewed the influence, legitimacy, and mobilization capacity of traditional rulers as potential rivals to colonial control.
Following Nigeria's independence in 1960, it was convenient for the Political Class that took over power from the British Colonial Ruler to maintain the status quo and kept the traditional institutions out of the power play.
The 1999 Constitution finally erased whatever remnants of relevance kept for the traditional institutions and thereby stripping them of playing any active roles in the governance of their respective jurisdictions.
Over the decades, the Traditional Rulers have been clamouring to be given a constitutional responsibility within the confine of Nigerian constitution.
History has proven that there is no where in the world where power is freely given without asking or demanding for it.
The current insecurity challenge facing all communities in Nigeria hereby provides a golden window of opportunity for the Traditional Rulers to show their local prowess in the safe management of their domains. After all, they have been tested in the past to have effectively and diligently played this role to the admiration of their subjects. It is now time to help and support the formal governments at the local, State, and Federal in rescuing Nigerians from the malaise of banditry, kidnapping, and all forms of terrorism.
The recent clamouring for the establishment of State Police is a confirmation of the universal fact that security is best and most effectively tackled at the local level. And the grandmasters of the grassroots management are no other persons than the Traditional Rulers themselves. *They know their people, they understand their local dynamics, they command respect and legitimacy and most importantly their people know them and trust !*
Therefore, a sustainable solution in tackling the current insecurity challenges must involve the Traditional Institutions if we are to record any success.
The success that the Traditional Rulers make out of effectively performing this traditional role shall eventually create a window of recognition for them in the Nigerian constitution where a more formalised recognition is expected to be accorded them in the written constitution of Nigeria.
But to earn that trust, the Traditional Institutions need to make the first move by embarking on their respective community consultation strategies with a view to add value in solving the current National Insecurity challenges.
I shall be suggesting the following 12-Step approach for our esteemed royal fathers who may be interested in taking the bull by the horn in rendering support to the government in the war against terrorism in Nigeria.
STEP ONE
Each Traditional Ruler should convene a PRIVATE consultative meeting with all the Ward, District, and Street Chiefs in his domain.
The primary objective of the consultative meeting shall be to extract the commitment and oath of all the traditional chiefs in charge of these Wards, Districts, and Streets to collectively secure their respective jurisdictions. Secondly to explore the traditional roles and methods that each traditional chiefs could play to secure their respective Wards, Districts, and Streets.
STEP TWO
Each of the Wards, Districts, and Street Chiefs to in turn constitute Security Committee within their respective areas for the purpose of sharing responsibilities and monitoring their respective jurisdictions.
STEP THREE
To hold each traditional chiefs accountable for the safety of lives and properties in their respective domains.
STEP FOUR
To create a network among the Wards, Districts, and Streets in the community where any security challenge in one Street promptly receive the support of neighboring Wards, Districts, and Streets.
STEP FIVE
Each community to establish a Security Coordination Committee for the entire community under the direct supervision of the Royal Majesty in that domain. Such Committee members should be made up of trustworthy and credible individuals.
STEP SIX
Introduce Know Your Neighbors (KYN) advocacy in the community for the purpose of every household knowing and monitoring his/ her neighbors and report where necessary of any "unholy" practices.
STEP SEVEN
Promote the Sensitization of *If You Know Something Say Something!* in all the Wards, Districts, and Streets in the community. Create a special communication system that allows all confidential informations received to be discretely treated with dispatch.
STEP EIGHT
Institute a periodic meeting to review security developments in the community. A minimum of monthly review meeting is desirable and suggested. Emergency meeting could be called in-between based on necessity.
STEP NINE
There is no doubt that the Traditional Institutions shall require financial support in delivering on their respective traditional obligations to their communities. There are two windows for this to be met. One, is the magnanimity of the State Governor in allocating part of the monthly Statutory Security Fund to the Traditional Institutions. Second, is the exploration of Community Security Fund to compliment what is coming from the State Government.
However, the Traditional Institutions do not have to wait for the State Security Counterpart Fund before exploring the local Community Security Fund to kickstart operations.
Establishment of *Community Security Fund* where donations from the community members are received to support the running of local security establishments and services created. Such Security Fund collection should be placed under highly credible and trustworthy community members who shall be saddled with funds collection and disbursements in a transparent and accountable manner.
STEP TEN
The Community Security Committee under the umbrella Chairmanship of the Royal Majesty in the community is suggested to report directly to His Excellency the State Governor of the State who is constitutionally recognized as the Chief Security Officer of the State.
STEP ELEVEN
Communities with large jurisdictions such as Ijesaland, Ibadanland, Egbaland, Ijebuland are advised to form a single Community Security Committee each because of their historical, cultural, and ethnic bond coupled with their shared values. The coordination of the jurisdiction shall reside with the Paramount Ruler of the land and who shall have the reporting responsibility to the Governor of the State on security situation in his constituency.
STEP TWELVE
The State Governor shall be required to create time periodically to hear directly from these Traditional Institutions where issues on security can be timely and promptly attended to with minimum bureaucracy.
This communication and reporting arrangement can be structured into between five and seven jurisdictions within a State as it's convenient. A periodic Security Meeting, preferably monthly, should be held by the State Governor with the Traditional Rulers where the Governor can receive direct briefs on the security status from all the communities within the State and subsequently act with dispatch. Timeliness in responding to security alerts is key in security management.
CONCLUSION
The security challenges confronting Nigeria require a whole-of-society approach. Government alone cannot shoulder this responsibility.
Citizens, communities, civil society organizations, religious institutions, and Traditional Institutions must all become active stakeholders in safeguarding lives and property.
Our revered Royal Fathers possess immense social capital, moral authority, grassroots legitimacy, and cultural influence. These assets constitute powerful tools that can be mobilized in support of national security objectives.
The time has come for Traditional Institutions to move beyond ceremonial relevance and reclaim their historic role as custodians of community peace, stability, and security.
If they successfully demonstrate measurable impact in strengthening security across their domains, they would have provided compelling, practical, and undeniable justification for the constitutional recognition they have long sought.
The moment is historic!
The challenge is urgent!!
The opportunity is now!!!
e-Signed:
Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi
The Asiwaju Of Ijesaland
The Chairman of ICDA
Oke Baba Okuta Villa, Ilesa
21st June, 2026
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment