For personal reasons, I choose not to address other traditional rulers. Prior to the hunger protest which held in August 2024, sitting president Bola Tinubu assembled traditional rulers to Abuja to work on them so that they could in turn, convince and confuse their subjects not to protest against hunger. I believe that they did not return from Abuja without being paid some money.
I am respectfully addressing His Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II the Oba of Benin, because of the high regards I have for him.
For personal reasons, I choose not to address other traditional rulers. Prior to the hunger protest which held in August 2024, sitting president Bola Tinubu assembled traditional rulers to Abuja to work on them so that they could in turn, convince and confuse their subjects not to protest against hunger. I believe that they did not return from Abuja without being paid some money.
Traditional rulers must not allow themselves to be drawn into the dirty politics of Tinubu and his crew. They are the custodians of our traditions and must remain so. Why must traditional rulers allow themselves to be used to clear his mess?
Tinubu is cleverly pitching traditional rulers against their people so that when the hunger and bad governance worsen, the people will turn against the traditional rulers for advising them otherwise. It is a game intended for blame sharing! Government cannot pretend that they have respect for traditional rulers when some of them have been kidnapped and killed without receiving justice.
Instead of addressing Nigerians before the protest and building a culture where he could have regular media chats with the people, Tinubu remained silent while using traditional and religious leaders to speak to Nigerians.
In other cases, his aides were busy insulting and threatening Nigerians concerning the hunger protest. While Bayo Onanuga blamed Peter Obi and his supporters, the Nigerian army and the Department of State Services were blaming anybody imaginable and importing a purported tailor of Russian flags.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa crossed his professional line by telling Nigerians that one year is too short for Tinubu to do the needful. Kemi Nandap the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service was busy blaming and blacklisting Nigerians in diaspora for the bad policies of government which resulted in the current inflation and economic hardship.
After the meeting with Tinubu in Abuja, traditional rulers started issuing press statements to discourage Nigerians from exercising their rights of expression. A communique was released from the palace of the Oba of Benin in which the people were being advised to shelve the protest. No doubt, the Oba of Benin means very well for our country.
However, there are many questions begging for answers. Did Bola Tinubu consult with the traditional rulers before he took many decisions that have impoverished the people? Did he consult them before he removed the controversial fuel subsidy? The same subsidy which has been labeled a scam? Those that steal public money are never sent to prison under Tinubu.
A traditional ruler allegedly intervened and the former chairman of EFCC Abdulraheed Bawa was never prosecuted after 134 days in detention. He secretly refunded some amount of what he allegedly stole. Other recovered funds are not published under Tinubu so that they could be refunded. Tinubu refused to obey the court order by Justice James Omotosho who ruled that he should publish the recovered loots of Sani Abacha and how it was spent.
Tinubu remains silent on crude oil theft by soldiers as alleged by Asari Dokubo. Senators receive N21 million monthly; N21 billion was spent to build a lodge for Tinubu`s Vice president; SUVs costing N160 million each were given to senators; huge funds are released for the unconstitutional office of the First Lady. The list is long. In all of these and more, did Tinubu consult the traditional rulers?
The Oba of Benin should not allow himself to be roped in by the antics of Tinubu. You are too rich to be poor or hungry. The administration of your stool is not dictated by the presidency. You do not own allegiance to Tinubu. You owe him nothing.
As an accomplished diplomat, you are too educated and exposed to be used by those with controversial academic certificates. Now, Edo state and other states in the country experience kidnapping and killings. Did Tinubu ever present to you, why he is silent on insecurity?
We know how disrespectful many state governors are to traditional rulers. We saw how Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, insulted traditional rulers when he was governor. What we expect at this time, is for traditional rulers in Nigeria to present a bill before the national assembly where the power of state governors to hire and fire traditional rulers is completely removed.
Such roles should be entirely left for traditional king makers. We must not continue to allow state governors to insult the monarchy.
The Oba has handled the politics of Edo state excellently well by staying neutral. He should also replicate it at the federal level. During elections, the Oba of Benin neither take sides nor threaten candidates from the various tribes in the state. It must remain so. For example, during the heated political tension leading to the 2020 Governorship elections in Edo State, His Royal Majesty invited the two major contestants Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Mr Godwin Obaseki.
He informed them that the palace remained neutral in the state’s politics but has regards and concerns for the candidate who has respect for the traditional institution, create jobs for the people so that they can put food on their families’ tables and respect the masses. He further urged the candidates to ensure that there is peace in the land throughout the election period. He demanded that the electorates must be allowed to freely vote for the candidates of their choices. In his words “Prayer is more powerful than the gun.”
A country where traditional rulers take the side of government when the people are hungry and angry will surely have problems. A country where traditional rulers take side during elections will also have problems. During the 2015 elections, Oba Akiolu of Lagos cursed that the Igbos will die in the lagoon if they refuse to vote for Ambode, his preferred governorship candidate. Since then, tribal bigotry has worsened in the politics of Lagos state.
For how long must this be allowed to continue? One way to promote national peace and unity, is for Oba Akiolu of Lagos, for whose office we also have huge respect, to openly apologise to the Igbos and all Nigerians for his statements. In so doing, he must call for the peace and unity needed for the development of our country.
The palace of the Oba of Benin is too decent to be involved in Tinubu`s politics.
Oba gha to kpere ise!
Comrade Frederick Odorige
Global Coordinator,
Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria, GCSDN.