‘Make them chief security officers’ — Runsewe canvasses constitutional role for traditional rulers

Olusegun Runsewe, the director-general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), says traditional rulers should be assigned constitutional roles of chief security officers to tackle crime and youth restiveness.

Runsewe spoke on Friday when he received a delegation led by Williams Olusegun, Olujumu of Ijumu land in Kogi state, at the Nigerian culture house in Abuja.

Runsewe noted that as the primary custodians of culture and tradition, the traditional rulers play a vital role in maintaining peace in their various communities.

He said the traditional institution is the closest to the grassroots which makes it possible for the rulers to easily detect violence and prevent escalation.

He said the high rate of crime in various parts of the country stems from the fast-eroding norms, culture, and traditions of the people.

“For the rate of crime and criminality, youth restiveness to take a downward turn in our society, the traditional institutions should be recognised and assigned constitutional roles of chief security officers of their various domains,” Runsewe said.

“As primary custodians of our various traditions and culture, the traditional rulers will make our traditional institutions a veritable springboard for cultural reorientation for our teeming youths who have gone under the wild influence of westernisation.”

Speaking earlier, the monarch expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality accorded him and members of his entourage.

He said the delegation came to officially invite Runsewe to the first-ever indigenous Ijumu cultural festival coming up on November 4, at the Ojumu palace in Iyara, Kogi state.

He said the invitation was necessary as the NCAC DG remains an icon and ambassador of Nigerian culture.

He said before the advent of Christianity in the Ijumu kingdom, tradition and culture played key roles in the administration of the community, but lamented that most of the beliefs, customs, and traditions have been lost.

The traditional ruler said the need to reintroduce the lost culture and traditions of the people has become an important issue to be addressed.