The Emir of Misau in Bauchi State, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, has stressed the need for the National Assembly to hasten amendment to the Nigerian Constitution in order to provide specific roles for traditional rulers in the country.
The emir, while interacting with newsmen in Misau, described as very significant the inclusion of roles of traditional rulers in the Constitution to give them a sense of leadership in the society.
He said, “Emirs as custodians of the tradition and culture of people in their respective domains require the provision of some specific roles in the Constitution in upholding their leadership status.
“This issue is important because the emirs are sworn in with the Constitution, we swear that we will obey the constitution, but we do not have the authority to do anything under the constitution.”
Alhaji Suleiman said emirs in the country had sent representatives to the senate with the request to critically look into this issue so as to make amendment to the Constitution.
He said; “We are praying to Almighty Allah to look into this matter and give those at the helm of affairs in the country to look into the issue and do the right thing”.
He explained that the advantage of giving leadership roles to traditional rulers in the constitution is to afford them the opportunity to carry out their duties according to dictates of the law.
“It is also for an emir to rightly use his position of leadership as it should be in bringing about development in the areas of education, healthcare services, and promote peace and stability in their domains,” he said.
Suleiman recalled the country’s first republic when emirs were saddled with specific duties in running the affairs of their subjects, saying, “I remember when traditional rulers paid routine weekly visits to primary schools in their domains to propel teachers pay attention to their duties.”
