Politician and member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, Dele Momodu, has lamented the diminished status of traditional rulers in Nigeria, arguing that the 1999 Constitution leaves monarchs vulnerable to the whims of politicians.
Speaking on the constitutional place of Nigeria’s revered royal fathers in an interview with Channels TV from 14:34, Momodu stressed that local government chairmen and political office holders wield more power than monarchs, regardless of cultural heritage or spiritual influence.
“The constitution of Nigeria does not give any importance or relevance, so to say, to our monarchs. A local government chairman can wake up tomorrow and tell the Ooni or the Sultan of Sokoto or the Emir of Kano that you cannot step out of your palace, and nothing would happen, because the constitution put them under the control of politicians, and politicians will do whatever is favorable to them,” he explained.
Citing the current crisis in Kano where two rival emirs lay claim to the throne, Momodu said the situation reflects the dangerous politicization of traditional institutions. “Look at Kano today: we have two emirs practically in Kano. I’m sure it’s not the wish of the people of Kano. They would love to have one emir and know who exactly. But now politicians have divided Kano into two,” he noted.
Momodu argued that the recurring tension surrounding royal stools in Kano, Oyo, and other states highlights the urgent need for constitutional reform that would restore dignity and stability to traditional institutions.
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