By Abdul Lauya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, GCON, has revealed that the 10th National Assembly is considering a bold constitutional reform that would enshrine a three-tier structure for traditional institutions in Nigeria. The proposal, currently part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process, aims to grant formal recognition, financial autonomy, and legal protection to traditional rulers at federal, state, and local levels.
Speaker Abbas made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja during a landmark interactive session with traditional rulers, held as part of the 2025 Open National Assembly Week. The session, supported by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the National Assembly Library Trust Fund (NALTF), brought together royal fathers and lawmakers in a rare show of institutional engagement.
According to the Speaker, the proposal envisions a National Council of Traditional Rulers to advise the President on unity, security, and cultural matters; a State Council of Chiefs, with constitutional authority on customary law and peacebuilding; and a Local Government Traditional Council, designed to support community-level governance, especially in security and development.
“These proposals are not entirely new,” Abbas said. “They are largely drawn from the unimplemented Section 8 of the 1989 draft constitution, which acknowledged a local government traditional council presided over by traditional rulers.”
Beyond structure, the Speaker raised alarm over the financial subjugation of traditional institutions. He decried their continued dependence on political officeholders, particularly governors and local government chairmen—who often use funding as a tool for control.
“Traditional institutions cannot function effectively if they continue to go cap-in-hand for funding,” Abbas warned. “We are working on granting them financial autonomy so they can deliver real value to the society.”
Another major highlight was the Speaker’s pledge to push for constitutional protection that would shield traditional rulers from political intimidation, especially during electoral seasons. This, he said, would guard them against being coerced into partisan politics, thereby preserving the neutrality and dignity of their stools.
In a strong endorsement of the legislative initiative, the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, urged the National Assembly to restore the pre-independence and post-independence roles traditional rulers once played. He lamented that the removal of constitutional provisions for traditional institutions after the 1963 Republican Constitution led to a disconnect between state structures and rural communities.
“Today, much of the insecurity and governance failure in the hinterlands can be traced to the sidelining of traditional institutions,” the Emir noted, adding that their reinstatement would bolster peacebuilding and cultural preservation.
Several royal fathers echoed similar sentiments, describing traditional rulers as the first responders to community crises and crime. They commended Speaker Abbas for leading what many see as a historic move toward institutional justice for Nigeria’s oldest governance structure.
This legislative proposal signals a renewed appreciation for the relevance of traditional institutions in modern governance. It also confronts a long-standing constitutional vacuum that has rendered traditional rulers ceremonial figures rather than functional partners in nation-building. By advocating financial autonomy and protection from political capture, the 10th Assembly appears to be realigning Nigeria’s governance architecture to reflect its cultural realities.
Yet, questions remain: Will state governors, who often view traditional rulers as extensions of their political machinery, support these reforms? Will the executive and judiciary buy into a model that creates constitutionally backed influence for unelected actors?
The coming months will test not just the resolve of the National Assembly but the maturity of Nigeria’s democratic experiment in accommodating its indigenous governance heritage.
