Deputy Speaker Kalu Calls For Traditional Rulers Integration Into Nigeria’s Governance Structure
By Juliet Vincent
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has advocated the integration of the traditional institution in the governance structure of Nigeria.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu on Friday, the Deputy Speaker made the submission during a visit to the palace of His Royal Majesty, Eze Prof. Sam Ifenwata, the Ugwu 1 of Ugwu Ibere kingdom in Ikwuano Local Government of Abia State where he celebrated the monarch’s 83rd birthday and 25 years on the throne.
Highlighting the potential benefits, he said the move would foster peace and unity, leveraging the traditional institutions’ proximity to the people.
Kalu emphasized the importance of traditional leadership in measuring the socio-economic impact of government interventions, stating that investments in traditional leadership are never wasted, as they operate at the grassroots level.
While congratulating the monarch on the milestone, he also commended his commitment to peace and unity of the community, urging him to sustain the tempo.
He said, “You are a gift to our generation. When we see people like you, we celebrate you. We celebrate you because of the role you are playing to achieve national loyalty and cohesion. The truth is that when you have the federal, state and local government, you don’t forget the community leadership, the foundation on which the federation stands and there is no investment into the traditional leadership that is a waste because that is the grassroot.
“If you are measuring the socio-economic impact of government interventions, the yardstick for measuring that will be from the grassroots of and who are the ones holding the grassroots? You are there at the grassroots, chosen by the community to encourage peace, unity that birth the progress the country is looking for. So, we celebrate you.
“The testimony of your son in-law that some 25 years you have been on the throne, it has been peace and harmony. And I have seen the peace in your community. The people are happy.
“There is this aura of peace around you. Eighty- three year old man looking 63 is amazing. The grace of God is upon you. You have seen life. There must be something you are doing so special for God that he has kept you up till now. That thing you are doing, please, keep doing it. Don’t relent. The more you do it, the more you live long and become the institution that we can always run to to find our history, the traditional values and understand what makes us who we are. Many don’t know”.
In his remarks, the traditional ruler, Eze Ifenwata lauded Kalu’s contributions to national development and thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Deputy Speaker for the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
He also requested Kalu’s assistance in establishing a tertiary institution in the Ibere clan, offering 50 hectares of land for the project.
“I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to the South East Development Commission Bill to tackle the infrastructural destruction caused by the civil war. Similarly, I commend Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu for sponsoring the important bill with the support of his colleagues.
“As a traditional ruler, I will continue to reign in peace and with the fear of God to create a conducive environment for the development of my area.
“Another step towards societal and humanistic development is the need for a tertiary technological institution -a Polytechnic – to absorb the many graduands of the several secondary education institutions.
“It is on this premise that the people of Ugwu Ibere Autonomous Community have decided to donate about 50 hectares of land for the tertiary education project”.
Earlier, a former member of the House of Representatives who represented Ikwuano, Umuahia South and Umuahia North Federal Constituency of Abia State and currently, the representative of the South East in the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Hon. Sam Onuigbo, also son in-law to the traditional ruler thanked the Deputy Speaker honouring their invitation.
He noted Kalu’s legislative interventions and leadership style while pledging his unalloyed support.
