The apex Igbo socio-cultural group warns that the controversial bill undermines national unity, equity, and the principle of Federal Character.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has strongly condemned a proposed bill in the Nigerian Senate that seeks to permanently recognize the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as the exclusive Co-Chairmen of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.
In a statement released on Sunday in Enugu by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, Ohanaeze described the bill as discriminatory, ethnocentric, and a threat to Nigeria’s fragile unity.
The group warned that the bill, which has already passed its second reading in the Senate, represents a clear violation of the principle of fairness, justice, and federal character as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution. “The Senate has failed in its sacred duty as the custodian of Nigeria’s democratic values by pushing forward such an asymmetric and divisive proposal,” Chukwu stated.
Ohanaeze further emphasized that permanently elevating only two monarchs from specific ethnic groups to lead a national council that should embody diversity and inclusion would only deepen ethnic fault lines and erode trust among Nigeria’s over 250 ethnic nationalities. “This bill is not only inequitable and reprehensible, it disregards the cultural sensitivities and geopolitical balance of the nation,” the group insisted.
According to Ohanaeze, the bill lacks objective criteria, ethical standards, and a nationalistic vision, making it unsuitable for a multi-ethnic and pluralistic society like Nigeria.
The organization is therefore calling for the immediate withdrawal of the bill and urges the Senate to review its legislative approach by promoting policies that honor ethnic diversity, promote inclusivity, and ensure equal representation in governance. “It is only by embracing these values that the National Council of Traditional Rulers can truly become a unifying institution that fosters peaceful coexistence and social stability,” Chukwu concluded.
The bill, if passed into law, would enshrine the Ooni of Ife (Yoruba traditional leader) and the Sultan of Sokoto (preeminent Muslim and Fulani leader) as permanent co-chairs, a move Ohanaeze says blatantly sidelines other prominent traditional rulers from other zones, such as the Southeast, South-South, and North-Central, thereby entrenching ethnic favoritism.
As debates around the bill continue to stir controversy nationwide, stakeholders are watching closely to see whether the Senate will heed Ohanaeze's call and revise its stance to uphold equity, federalism, and true national unity.
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