A renowned professor of History, ‘Siyan Oyeweso, has said that government has no business paying traditional rulers’ monthly salary, adding that communities where royal fathers govern should be responsible for paying them for the work they doing.
Oyeweso, who is the Executive Director, Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, CBCIU, Osogbo, said this while speaking to newsmen on Friday, said a royal father well loved by his people would not lack, as his people would always take care of his needs.
He said that since traditional rulers serve their communities and not government, it shouldn’t be the responsibility of government to pay them salary, harping on the need for people to take care of their traditional rulers, because of the key role they play in keeping the country safe.
The don said that the CBCIU has concluded arrangements to bring traditional rulers nationwide together, in recognition of their relevance to security of lives and properties in their domains, to discuss and proffer solutions to security challenges facing the country.
Oyeweso said that the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Sa’ad Abubakar and other prominent traditional rulers would be in attendance to discuss the security situation in the country.
He said the security summit, which was organized to provide avenue for royal fathers to contribute national discourse on security, has as its theme: ‘Security and Insecurity in Nigeria, Role of Traditional Institution.’
He said, “Nigeria has never had it so bad security wise. It is nauseating that even traditional rulers have become victims of kidnap and bandit attacks. It is a shame on our humanity and a failure of the state.
“The North East is at war, the North West is battling with banditry and kidnapping. The situation is the same with the South West. This means the country is in great danger. The summit seeks to provide alternative ways to effective security.
“Besides the traditional rulers, experts in the field of intelligence, academia and people from the diaspora would be part of the summit.”
