Proposed Traditional Rulers’ Council Bill Sparks Widespread Backlash

A bill seeking to establish the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria has stirred nationwide controversy. Its intent is to constitutionally recognise the role of traditional rulers in fostering peace and development which appears laudable, a clause designating the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as permanent co-chairmen has triggered strong opposition.

Critics, including the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Concerned Hausa Stakeholders and the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), describe the provision as divisive, undemocratic, and a violation of Nigeria’s federal character.

Sponsored by Senator Simon Bako Lalong (Plateau South), the bill passed second reading in March and is now before the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service. Opponents say the move would marginalise other historic monarchies, undermine inclusivity, and entrench ethnic and religious imbalance.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo condemned the clause as unjust and ethnocentric, warning it would sideline major institutions in the South-East, South-South, and Middle Belt. The group demanded the bill’s withdrawal, advocating for a structure that reflects ethnic diversity and geopolitical balance.

The Middle Belt Forum rejected the Sultan’s elevation, citing historical precedence of older Middle Belt kingdoms such as the Kwararafa Confederacy, Igala Kingdom, Tiv Kingdom, and Nupe Kingdom and stressing that the Sultan’s authority is primarily religious, not secular. They vowed to boycott the Council if the clause remains.

Similarly, the Concerned Hausa Stakeholders argued that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic republic, not a Fulani–Yoruba federation. They stressed that the Sultan, as Sarkin Musulmi, is a religious leader rather than a cultural representative of the Hausa people, and excluding other major traditional institutions is a deliberate marginalisation.

The Alaigbo Development Foundation called the proposal “provocative and subjugative,” warning it undermines Nigeria’s cultural diversity.

Even some South-West voices oppose the clause. Lecturer Femi Adebowale argued that the Ooni cannot speak for the entire Yoruba nation, noting the historical pre-eminence of the Alaafin of Oyo. From Edo State, lawyer Caleb Osazuwa rejected the idea that the Oba of Benin could be placed under the Ooni’s authority, calling it “the greatest joke of the century.”

Across the board, opponents insist the Council’s leadership should be rotational, tenure-based, or democratically chosen by the monarchs themselves to ensure equity, unity, and respect for Nigeria’s plural identity.