Interview:
Traditional rulers deserve constitutional role – Sa’peyi of Garki

The Supremacy magazine was once again the guest of His Royal Highness, Alhaji Usman Nga-Kupi, the Sa’peyi of Garki in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to share his views on the security situation in the country, constitutional role for traditional rulers and the just concluded general election. Excerpts:


Supremacy: Currently, the most challenging problem facing us as a nation is the issue of insecurity. How have you been coping with that and what are the challenges you are facing in that respect in your domain?

Sa’peyi: First of all, I have to welcome you once again in my palace. Like you rightly pointed out, the issue of security of lives and properties has been one of the major issues that we traditional rulers are working hand in hand with the security agencies to tackle. Like I usually say, security should not be left in the hands of security agencies alone. Apart from each and every one of us being conscious of the security of our environment, we should also help the security agencies by giving them relevant information that will assist them in performing their duties. Security operatives are not spirits; they work more efficiently based on the cooperation of all of us. As a royal father, I collaborate and synergize with other traditional rulers in securing our territory. As you can see for yourself, the issue of armed robbery has reduced and the security agencies are also working very hard to combat the menace of kidnapping and other crimes. Equally, since the three arms of the federal government, that is, the Executives, the Legislature and the Judiciary; as well as most International communities resides in our domain, we try as much as we can to secure our territory by working in harmony with the various security agencies. We are conscious of the implication of any security lapse in our territory, so we try as much as we can not to allow any form of breach of peace within the chiefdom.

Supremacy: The issue of constitutional role for traditional rulers has remained a major subject of discussion in every forum with traditional rulers. What is your position on that?

Sa’peyi: To start with, we should remind ourselves that traditional rulers as the custodian of culture and tradition of the people are the main grass root leaders that the people identify with. In every community or hamlet as the case may be, there are various classes of traditional rulers, comprising the Chiefs, Village heads as well as the paramount rulers. All these set of traditional rulers also have their various Councils that help them in overseeing the activities and welfare of their various communities. As the closest people to the community, they interact freely with their people. Like what obtained in the pre-independent and immediately after independent, the traditional rulers are the first government that the people know and recognize. They work hand in hand with the then colonial masters in resolving disputes in any community and play great role in ensuring that their various communities are secured. In those days, any stranger that arrives in any community is immediately identified and monitored closely and in most cases the person is being taken to the village head for proper identification and his mission in the community. That practice usually helps in identifying criminals and bad people that infiltrates the community, but these days such practices are no longer observed. People now move in and out of the various communities and hamlets without anybody caring or raising an eyebrow. I strongly believe that traditional rulers will perform better and more efficiently if constitutional roles are assigned to them. On that regard, we will also feel protected in doing most of the things we are doing for the interest of peace and security in our various communities.

Supremacy: Taking you back to your ancestral home, the Gbagyi. Do you feel that your people are happy and have been properly settled?

Sa’peyi: It depends on how one is able to interpret it. More need to be done to the indigenous people. Most of our land has been taken over and no proper replacement has been done. I suggest that the government should have a Commission to cater for the indigenous people. If you look at the situation in the Niger Delta, our situation and theirs’ is similar. The land which is our major life- wire has been taken over and nothing is being done. When they take your land, they compensate you just for the land; what about the economic trees and your affinity to the land as your ancestral home. How much do they usually pay, which within some few years, the money is gone. What happens next? Challenges of insecurity sets in, hunger sets in. We appreciate what the government is doing but I believe that setting up a Commission to take care of the indigenous people will help in tackling the problems of the people. We are not praying for that, but if care is not taken, what is happening in the Niger Delta region in terms of agitation may likely happen here if more proactive steps are not taken to appease and take care of the indigenous people. This is the heart of the nation; the needs of the indigenous people should be taken into consideration by the government. We don’t want what is happening in the Niger Delta to repeat itself here. I urge the government to do something about it as soon as possible because, the earlier, the better. That’s my advice.

Supremacy: The General elections have just been concluded, what role major roles did the traditional rulers play in ensuring peace and stability during and after the election?

Sa’peyi: First and foremost, I want us to understand that we have no other place we can call home than Nigeria. All of us as a nation owe it as a duty to ensure that peace reigns in the country. The issue of security is not only the duty of INEC, Security Agencies or the politicians alone; but our collective responsibility. We are all stakeholders. I believe that the politicians has greater role to play in this aspect. It is their duty to advice their followers on the need to comport themselves and play according to the rule. This idea of playing politics without human face should be discouraged. The winning at all cost syndromes should also be discouraged. Politics is a game, and as a game, if you don’t win today, tomorrow may be your turn to win. Our politicians should take note of that and learn to play according to the rule. They should also learn to take defeat in good faith and also be magnanimous in victory by carrying everybody along. We on our part as traditional rulers and custodian of the culture of our people have been advising our subjects especially the youths who are the vulnerable group usually used to destabilize the electoral process through violence. We also let them understand that if they are killed or maimed in the process, the only thing their parents will receive is sorry. Parents on their part are also advised to always be mindful and watchful of the activities of their children and wards. They should not allow their children to be sacrificed for a mere peanut while the politician’s children are comfortable in their various homes while some have even ferried their children out of the country. We worked closely with the various security agencies in ensuring that peace reigns during and after the elections. Nigeria, as the giant of Africa should realize that the whole world is watching us. Now that the election is over, I urge the politicians to remember the promises they made to the electorates during their campaign. As the saying goes, a promise is a debt. The politicians should realize that they are now indebted to the electorates. They should work towards fulfilling those promises.

Supremacy: Your Highness, apart from sitting in your precious stool and presiding over the affairs of your people, what do you do in your spare time?

Sa’peyi: I go to farm and sometimes take a walk. At times when there is so much pressure on me, I can take two or three days off for a vacation out of town to ease off.