By Hassanat Adebowale
The Senate has progressed a bill to establish the National Council for Traditional Rulers, aimed at formalising the roles and recognition of traditional leaders across Nigeria. The bill successfully passed its second reading during Thursday’s plenary.
Presenting the bill’s key principles, Senator Simon Lalong (APC-Jos), who sponsored the legislation, highlighted the historic significance of traditional rulers in governance and their enduring relevance in modern society. Lalong noted that the bill, first introduced on October 8, 2024, seeks to provide a legal framework for their operations and contributions.
He explained that, before the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates with the Colony of Lagos, traditional rulers played pivotal roles in governance, serving as custodians of culture, tradition, and values. They were instrumental in maintaining communal harmony and fostering commerce and trade through inter-kingdom relations.
“Between 1910 and 1960, traditional rulers held significant authority under the British colonial ‘indirect rule’ system, functioning as the executive, legislature, and judiciary,” Lalong said. “However, the military regimes that began in 1966 stripped them of these powers, redistributing authority among federal, state, and local governments. While the 1979 Constitution offered some recognition, the 1999 Constitution relegated traditional institutions to the background.”
Lalong, a former governor of Plateau State, emphasised the non-political contributions traditional rulers make, particularly in addressing security challenges, given their deep understanding of local communities.
Despite the bill’s support, some senators raised concerns about potential overlaps with the functions of elected local government officials. Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged the need to clarify the traditional rulers’ specific roles within the bill and called for a public hearing to incorporate input from key stakeholders.
The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment for further scrutiny. The committee is expected to report back within four weeks, ahead of a third reading.
The proposed bill raises important legal questions about the relationship between traditional rulers and elected authorities. Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the autonomy of local government councils but does not address the role of traditional rulers, leaving a significant gap that this bill aims to address.
To avoid confusion, it will be essential to align the functions of the proposed council with existing constitutional provisions. Some legal experts believe the bill might even require a constitutional amendment to clearly define the authority of traditional institutions and ensure their decisions are protected from political interference.
If properly designed, this bill could be a key step towards integrating Nigeria’s traditional leadership structures into the governance framework. It has the potential to promote national unity and strengthen local governance by combining cultural heritage with modern democratic principles for a more inclusive system of governance.
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