The National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) has advised the Federal Government on the need for direct involvement of traditional rulers in governance.
Its Director-General, Chief Olusegun Runsewe, gave the advice when he received in audience a delegation led by the Olujumu of Ijumu land in Kogi, Oba Williams Olusegun, at the Nigerian Culture House, on Friday in Abuja.
Runsewe in a statement said the traditional rulers should be recognised and assigned constitutional roles of Chief Security Officers to tackle the problem of crime and youth restiveness.
“For the rate of crime and criminality, youth restiveness to take a downward turn in our society, the traditional institutions should be recognized and assigned constitutional roles of chief security officers of their various domains,” he said
Runsewe noted that as the primary custodian of culture and tradition, the traditional rulers play a very vital role of maintaining peace in their various community.
He said that the traditional institution was the closest to the grassroots which makes it possible for the traditional rulers to easily detect trouble spots and violence and curb them from escalation
He explained that the high rate of crime and criminality in various parts of the country stem from the fast eroding norms, culture and tradition of the people.
“As primary custodians of our various tradition and culture, the traditional rulers will make out traditional institutions a veritable springboard for cultural reorientation for our teeming youths who have gone under the wild influence of westernisation,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Oba Olusegun expressed profound gratitude for the warm hospitality accorded him and members of his entourage.
He said before the advent of Christianity in Ijumu kingdom, tradition and culture played key roles in the administration of the Kingdom but regrets that most of the beliefs, customs and traditions of the people of his kingdom had been lost.
He noted that on his assumption to the throne of his fore fathers, the need to reintroduce the lost culture and traditions of the people came to the front burner.
The traditional ruler said the delegation were in Runsewe’s office to invite him officially to the first ever Indigenous Ijumu Cultural Festival coming up on November 4, at the Ojumu Palace, Iyara in Kogi State.
He said this was neccessary as the director general remained an icon and ambassador of the Nigerian culture.