Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has expressed regrets that the incursion of the military into the governance of Nigeria robbed the country of laudable roles played by traditional rulers in moving the country forward.
Speaking as the host governor at the 2025 National Executive Committee Meeting of the Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) held at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island Monday, he noted that traditional rulers have been involved in governance in the past, and that, they also played crucial role in Nigeria attaining independence.
The governor added that the role some of them played in returning the country to civil rule cannot be ignored.
He said with the restoration of democracy in the country since 1999, the traditional rulers are gradually asserting themselves back into national consciousness.
“Our traditional rulers are gradually asserting themselves back into national consciousness. But we are not yet there. I advise that our traditional rulers continue to push for more constitutionally backed relevance. That is the right thing to do, and we promise to support this push because we believe we need to tap from the experience and wisdom of our traditional rulers to make more progress.
“It is, however, sad to note that the years of military rule dealt a fatal blow to the nation’s traditional institutions. Military rule significantly eroded the laudable roles our traditional rulers play in our national life.”
He added: “The relevance of our referred traditional rulers in the national scheme of things continued in the immediate post independence era, with the likes of the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi being involved in political governance.
“It is, thus, not surprising that when patriots and democracy activists like our revered father and leader, Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and many others, rose to end the tyranny of military rule, some of our traditional rulers like the late Awujale of Ijebuland, rose to the occasion. They stood firm,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu told the traditional rulers that their meeting presents a unique chance to push for clarity, not for the sake of prestige, but for practical reasons.
