Tunde Akanbi, Ilorin
A Social Entrepreneur, Alhaji Yakubu Garba Gobir has called for specific roles that are not political to be accorded to the traditional institution in the country.
Alhaji Gobir expressed this view in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital while answering questions from newsmen after receiving an award at the first royal public lecture, award presentation and launching of a book titled, The Royal Stools: A Fluorescence of Traditional Rulers and Communities authored by an Ilorin based journalist, Mallam Arowona Abdulazeez.
He said the Monarchs who are highly exposed and well-connected could be fully involved in matters about their communities, security and agriculture.
The social Entrepreneur, who is a pharmacist by profession, warned against sidelining the traditional institutions from discourse about the way forward for Nigeria.
Alhaji Gobir recalled the success of traditional institution system in the North prior to the arrival of colonialists to Nigeria, and maintained that there was a need to reflect on it.
The social entrepreneur added that the colonial masters saw the traditional institution as well structured and left the institution to run itself and wondered why our leaders have not accorded them their rightful position in the scheme of things.
However, Alhaji Gobir enjoined them against been partisan but rather maintain neutrality and fairness in taking far reaching decisions.
He also stressed the need to accord critical attention to history, saying that a country without history is a nation that is lost.