THE Northern Traditional Rulers Council are worried and sad over the insecurity in the North, especially the happenings in Southern Kaduna, kidnapping, cattle rustling, the state of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North-East and other parts of the country.
These were the words of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Saad, in Kaduna, at the combined meeting of the 19 northern governors’ forum held in Kaduna, on Monday.
“We are more worried with the usage of places of religious worship to preach hatred, violence and other issues that tend to divide us rather than strengthen our unity as a people created by one God.
“We believe one of the numerous reasons violence continues to thrive in our midst is the impunity allowed to thrive in our midst. Nobody is punished for crimes committed.
“We are, therefore, strongly supporting more measures taken and to be taken by governors of northern states, especially that of Kaduna State.
“We must all strive to achieve lasting peace in the North in particular and the whole country at large,”the Sultan said.
Earlier, the chairman of the 19 northern governors’ forum and governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said the meeting was first of its kind and was convened to collectively deliberate and find urgent, practical, but lasting solution to the myriad of socioeconomic and political problems besetting the region and which have direct bearing on the well-being and the welfare of the people.
“Let me place it on record that the decision to invite Your Royal Highnesses and other stakeholders to this crucial meeting was the collective decision of all the 19 governors under our forum and was borne out of the recognition of the fundamental, if not indispensable position and role the traditional institution occupies in the scheme of things in Nigeria, particularly in the Northern region.
“For us in northern Nigeria, our royal fathers are, for the most part, custodians of both our cultural and religious values, highly reverred and hold their traditional offices in virtual perpetuity.
“Indeed, quite a few instances abound in all parts of our region, like their highnesses, the Emir of Lafiya, Dr Isa Mustapha Agwai; the Emir of Zauzau, Dr Shehu Idris and the Aku-Uka of Wukari, Dr Shekarau Angyu, Masa Ibi Kuvyon ll, where our traditional rulers ascended their thrones long before even the creation of the states where their domains are located, or have so far worked with, and outlasted in office all the governors of their states, military and democratically elected.
“Your royal highnesses, these three instances, drawn from the lives of our longest serving traditional rulers with first-class status are, but a few out of many,” Shettima said.
‘Governors of the 19 northern states do recognise, respect and cherish the fact that while others serve for certain periods, traditional rulers mostly make lifetime commitments to the service of our communities. This naturally make them very significant stakeholders in the affairs of government across the 19 northern states.
“Even more crucially, it gladdens the heart to note that our traditional rulers have sustained the time tested and noble tradition of championing the causes of their people,” Shettima said.
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