El-Rufai links traditional institutions to unity, development

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, on Monday, described traditional institutions as the most respected segment of the leadership realm in the society.

The governor made this statement at the 2017 General Assembly of the Northern Traditional Councils in Kaduna .

El-Rufai, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Bala Bantex, said traditional rulers had crucial roles to play in ensuring the unity and prosperity of the region and Nigeria as a whole.

“As the custodian of our rich social norms, values and cultural heritage, we all acknowledge that traditional institutions are the most respected leadership segment in the society today”.

He lamented the challenges of insecurity, disunity arising mainly from ethno-religious sentiments and economic backwardness among the challenges facing the region.

The governor called on the royal fathers to intervene in the collective efforts to reawaken the contributions of the past leaders to the growth of the old northern region.

“As royal fathers, your usual intervention was imperative towards galvanising our people to reinvent the northern region of the past, where people lived peacefully irrespective of ethnic and religious affiliations,” El-Rufa’i said.

El-Rufai said the State Government would continue to guarantee peace and security in the domains of the monarchs, even as he called for their continued support to move the state forward.

He urged the traditional leaders to call on their subjects to coexist peacefully and be law abiding emphasising the need to encourage them to engage in productive activities.

El-Rufa’i also advised the royal fathers to deliberate on current national issues in order to proffer solutions to the problems affecting the region and the country in general.

Speaking at the event, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad II, lamented the menace of drug abuse in the society, especially among women and pledged the support of traditional leaders in the efforts to curb the trend.

Abubakar promised that the royal fathers would adopt the internally displaced persons, who lost their parents in crisis situations to enable them have access to education.

“As I was told, there were about 50,000 orphans in the IDP camps and if we allow those children to grow up without knowing their parents, it is a major challenge to us,” he added.