..wants prohibition of unauthorised individuals from wearing beaded crowns

…seek Oba’s Law, mindset academy for youths, action on water hyacinth

Traditional rulers in Ondo State have called on the state government to establish a statewide “Mindset Academy” for youths to promote character re-engineering and development, while also proposing annual awards to celebrate young people making positive contributions to their communities.
The monarchs also urged the government to mandate the Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship, Hon. Summy Francis, to develop economic templates for traditional rulers and embark on regular zonal visits to kingdoms to expose youths to innovation and entrepreneurship.
These were among the resolutions contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a three-day workshop organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Akure.
The workshop, themed “Repositioning the Traditional Institution for Harmonious Communal Relationship, Security, Cultural Preservation and Sustainable Development,” brought together traditional rulers and relevant stakeholders to deliberate on the changing roles of the traditional institution in governance and grassroots development.
The monarchs said the proposed Mindset Academy should focus on “extensive character re-engineering and development” of youths across the state.
They also agreed to identify and celebrate young, vibrant and innovative youths in their respective domains through the establishment of Kings’ Award Ceremonies.
The communiqué said the monarchs would identify youths described as “positive scapegoats” whose achievements could serve as examples and inspiration to others.
The traditional rulers further requested the Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship to develop comprehensive economic templates that would enable Kabiyesis understand how to identify economic gaps and opportunities in their domains.
According to the communiqué, the templates would aid the monarchs’ “knowledge and understanding of how to identify economic gaps and opportunities and take advantage of them.”
The monarchs also requested frequent zonal visits by the Special Adviser to educate community youths on entrepreneurship and innovation in response to “the present economic realities.”
Monarchs demand annual capacity-building programme
The traditional rulers called on the Ondo State Government to institutionalise the workshop as a regular annual capacity-building programme.
They said continuous training would help strengthen the capacity, relevance and effectiveness of the traditional institution in contemporary governance and community development.
“Traditional rulers collectively called on the Ondo State Government to institutionalise the workshop as a regular annual capacity-building programme,” the communiqué stated.
The workshop also identified the “rapidly diminishing influence and authority” of traditional rulers and stressed the need for their recognition as indispensable actors in grassroots governance and community development.

Seek stronger security partnership
The monarchs urged the state government to establish a structured engagement framework between traditional institutions and security agencies.
They called for regular consultations, intelligence sharing and community-based security cooperation to facilitate timely responses to security threats and protect lives and property.
The communiqué stated that “the State Government was strongly advised to establish a structured engagement framework between traditional institutions and security agencies, including regular consultations, intelligence sharing, and community-based security cooperation.”
The monarchs, however, acknowledged the legal limitations of their authority, stressing that they do not have jurisdiction over criminal matters.
They noted that while traditional rulers have important roles in communal peace and conflict mediation, criminal cases should be referred to relevant law enforcement authorities.
The workshop also recommended the use of contemporary mediation and dispute-resolution approaches by monarchs while drawing from established customs and traditions.
Monarchs seek action on water hyacinth, flooding
Traditional rulers from riverine communities, including Ikale-Irele, Akotogbo and Ilaje, appealed to the state government to intervene in the massive spread of water hyacinth in their communities.
According to the monarchs, the development had contributed to flooding, rendered some residents homeless and restricted movement.
They “requested government intervention in the massive clearing of water hyacinth that has contributed to recent flooding across the communities, rendering some indigenes homeless and making movement overly restricted.”
The workshop also drew attention to land-related challenges affecting communities, including Odebu and Ijesha.
It called for stronger cooperation between traditional institutions and government authorities on land administration and communal land disputes.
The communiqué noted that the Constitution and the Land Use Act confer significant responsibilities relating to land administration on the governor.

Monarchs push for Oba’s Law
The traditional rulers urged the government to intensify efforts to replace the existing Chief’s Law with an Oba’s Law.
“The Kabiyesis urged the government to intensify ongoing efforts to adopt the Oba’s Law in place of the Chief’s Law that is currently in operation in the state,” the communiqué stated.
They also called for a functional relationship between palace courts and courts of competent jurisdiction.
The monarchs further urged the government to popularise and enforce existing directives prohibiting unauthorised persons from wearing beaded crowns, carrying royal staffs or using regalia associated with recognised traditional rulers.
They said the enforcement of such directives would help preserve the dignity and identity of the traditional institution.
The monarchs also encouraged continued non-interference by the government in the selection and appointment of Obas.
Monarchs to use documentaries to attract interventions
The traditional rulers agreed to positively repackage stories and incidents from their respective kingdoms into empathetic documentaries capable of attracting local and international interventions.
They said such documentaries could highlight both the positive developments and challenges within their communities and encourage relevant stakeholders to support development efforts.
The workshop also encouraged monarchs to promote and revive appropriate cultural festivals, traditions and practices that contribute positively to community identity, peace and social cohesion.

Financial constraints identified
The workshop identified financial constraints faced by Kabiyesis as one of the challenges limiting their ability to effectively discharge some of their traditional responsibilities.
It consequently emphasised the need to strengthen the relevance and capacity of the institution while ensuring that its authority is exercised within the limits of applicable laws.
The workshop reaffirmed that although the authority and dignity of the traditional institution are recognised within the legal framework, traditional rulers must operate within the boundaries of the law.

Monarchs commend Aiyedatiwa
The traditional rulers commended the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, for conceiving and supporting the workshop.
They said the initiative demonstrated recognition of the strategic importance of traditional rulers to the success of government policies and programmes at the grassroots.
The monarchs described traditional rulers as having an “indispensable role in the administration, security, cultural preservation, and development of communities across the state.”
They also commended the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for organising the workshop and creating a platform for monarchs from across the state to interact, share experiences and deliberate on issues affecting the traditional institution.
The workshop concluded that “the traditional institution remains a critical pillar of peaceful coexistence, grassroots security, cultural preservation, and sustainable community development in Ondo State.”
It called for continued collaboration among the state government, traditional rulers, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the institution evolves as a “respected, legally compliant and development-oriented body.”