The Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee has pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to increase the number of slots allocated for traditional leaders to the forthcoming National Conference to six instead of the proposed three representatives from each of the six geo-political zones of the country.
A communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the committee’s executives, which held in Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday, said that the Yoruba would canvass rotational presidency to be based on the six geo-political zones in order to give sense of belonging to the minority units.
The monarchs, according to the communiqué, will also canvass constitutional roles for traditional rulers in the country, citing examples from other African countries that have constitutional roles for their traditional rulers.
The leader of the forum and Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinrutan; its secretary, Sabiganna of Iganna, Oba Soliu Oyemonla; the committee’s Public Relations Officer, Gbaluwe of Igbotu Kingdom, Oba Adeniyi Ajayi; Olojodu of Ojodu, Oba Sikiru Obatula; and Ahaba of Ajagba, Oba Olawole Adesayo, were at the meeting.
The communiqué read in part, “It is not the aspiration of this committee to canvass the involvement of traditional leaders in politics, rather, we are urging the Federal Government to involve them in constitutional matters because of their closeness to the grass roots.
“For the nation to enjoy sustainable security, the police should go through a reform that will improve on its present status to international standard. While this is not an attempt to relegate the agitations of those who are calling for regional police system, it is the view of this committee that the nation is not ripe enough for such system. These are parts of what the Yoruba obas will be agitating for at the conference”.
