1

Alhaji Usman Obaje is the traditional ruler and chairman, Dekina Traditional Council in Kogi State. He was of the NSO which transmuted into the Department of State Services (DSS) before he ascended to the throne of his ancestors. In this interview with JULIUS ATTABOR, he speaks on the necessity of defining the roles of traditional rulers in the constitution. According to him, defining their roles would give impetus to the fight against insecurity, among others. Excerpts: 

 There is clamour in the National Assembly for constitutional amendment to give strong roles to traditional rulers. What’s your take on this? 

I pray to Almighty God, that the National Assembly would hearken to our demand and give us a role in the constitution. Traditional rulers are living with the people of the community at the grass root. We know their aims and objectives at the grass root. We can talk to them and they have to hear from us. Look at the traditional rulers, they’re nowhere. Our words don’t carry powers. What we’re asking, let the government test us and see what will happen at the grassroots. We’re ready to work with the chairmen of local governments, we’re ready to serve our governors, but let us be empowered in the constitution so that where you live, you would sleep with your two eyes closed. 

That is what we have been clamoring for. Traditional rulers will mobilise their sons and subjects to track the new faces, to know who were not residents in the community. Let them see to this our plight that the roles of traditional rulers should be accommodated in the constitution. Our duty should be defined in the constitution, so that there will be no hue and cry. 

What of state creation. Okura has long been on the front burner by the sons and daughters of Igala land. 

The Senate, and House of Representatives of late have been entertaining our agitation for state creation, and for us Okura State creation is uppermost. Our people have been demanding for Okura State creation which is before the National Assembly. Igala has a vast and fertile land to farm. Our sons and daughters who have not gotten an opportunity to be employed, when the state is created, opportunity would come for them. It has been a long, the people have been agitating for Okura State. And if this state is created, it’s going to be viable because Kogi East has the capacity to yield revenue for itself. We have able-bodied boys and girls, sons and daughters that are ready to work. 

30 years on the throne, how far? Any challenges? 

I thank God because it is not easy. As a traditional ruler, you should not be biased. Be very free with your community. We have Muslims, Christians, and traditional worshipers. You’ll be their father, and they’ll be your children. It’s Almighty God that gives somebody a place on the last day. I was appointed 25th of January, 1996 as a first class paramount ruler. I remain first class chief in Kogi State. I have never erred from the federal government, state government, even local government. I’ve been working seriously to see that my community is seeing what I’m doing. Since I assumed office I have been very successful. We have to be very close to our communities, talk to them. I have almost 35 traditional rulers today. Seven are first class of reputable characters. About nine are second class, while 26 are third class and they are successful retired people from service. I’m the chairman of Dekina Traditional Council And whatever we do, we render our result to his royal majesty, Ata Igala, HRM Alaji Matthew Opaluwa. Dekina local government has been very peaceful. 

It is a fact that you grew up in Dekina and it is also a fact that you are the paramount ruler of Dekina. So you should know much about Dekina. However, there are insinuations that Dekina was cursed by late AtaIgala HRM Ameh Oboni for hanging himself in the community, how true is this assertion 

As far as I’m concerned, Dekina was not cursed, because at that time when His Royal Majesty Ameh Oboni passed on in Dekina 

I was in primary two or three in Dekina. It was early 1956. What we gathered was that, that night, he hanged himself, his in-law, Adejo Kadili and Alhaji AbdulKadri, the then district head, and his wife came to him. They were together until they wanted to depart. They departed with his wife. He said the wife should go. Then overnight, nobody knows how it happened, his lifeless body was found in the room in the morning. And since that time, nobody had told us that Attah Ameh Oboni spoke this to us when we were with him before this death happened. I’ve never heard of it. When they said people were writing petitions against the AttaIgala and in those days, Dekina sons and daughters were not involved. We also learnt that Attah Ameh Oboni cursed those that were writing petitions against him. And what we gathered was that, some of them, who wrote those petitions, their hands used in writing the petitions dried off on their body. That was what they said Attah cursed. Whoever is writing a petition against him will not live well before he passes on. The Dekina sons and daughters were not involved. And when I came on board people call me, to say, that Dekina was cursed. I used to tell them “That was the figment of their imaginations 

But in reality there was nothing like that and I urged the people to work harder than before. And, you know, the Dekina sons and daughters who reside in Abuja, those in Lagos, we are all united. As to the curse, I say, don’t believe that saying, because, I know the truth from the early stage. I’m telling you on the following day when his body was conveyed to Idah or the evening when he hanged himself to when the body was conveyed to Idah, nobody told us that he was with him and pronounce the curse on Dekina. I was in my village, Ajakagwu. We watched them when they were passing. So there was nothing like that, to my hearing. And the Dekina today, is doing fine and flourishing. We thank God. We’re living well. Dekina town, I mean, and even suburbs we are living well together with ourselves. Late Ata Ameh Oboni did not curse Dekina and I’m saying this for the hindsight. We have our sons and daughters doing well in their careers. They are in the military, paramilitary, medicine, professors of international repute, in business and industries and they’re doing very great.