Enugu Monarch And Ooni Disagree Over Southern Traditional Rulers Council

A disagreement broke out on Tuesday between the Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom in Enugu State, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the existence of a Southern Traditional Rulers’ Council.

Speaking at the National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health in Abuja, which was attended by President Bola Tinubu, Igwe Agubuzu said there was no such body as a Southern Traditional Rulers’ Council.

He warned the Federal Government not to recognize or release funds to anyone claiming to represent such a council, saying it would be a mistake.

According to him, the southern region does not operate like the North and should be engaged through its individual zones.

He stressed that the South-East should be dealt with directly and not through groups that claim to speak for the entire South without proper backing.

“Now, again, they were talking about the Southern Traditional Rulers Committee on Health, and the eminent Professor Pate was saying that this will become an annual event—what we are doing today—if I heard him correctly.

“The truth of the matter is that there is nothing like a Southern Traditional Rulers’ Council. If you come here, Pate, and give money to people on that basis, it’s not correct,” Igwe Agubuzu said.

“The South is not the North. We have our system. We need unity in diversity. So, if you want to deal with us, deal with us in the South-East. If you have resources for us, give them to us. Don’t give it to people who come and say, ‘We’re Southern Traditional Rulers’ Council.

“Democracy is representative government, and anybody who goes to present himself without his people is not democratic or traditional. So, get it. We think that we will do our best. Mr. President, please listen to our cries,” he added.

In response, the Ooni of Ife disagreed with Agubuzu’s position, explaining that joining the Southern Traditional Rulers’ Council was voluntary and not compulsory.

He said the council exists to promote unity and cooperation among traditional institutions and described it as a strong platform for collaboration.

“Southern Traditional Council is very optional. You don’t need to join us if you don’t want to join us, but it’s a force, a formidable force among traditional institutions for us to come together.

“And we are all reputable in all our domains. You can see all of us because one of us made a speech that there’s nothing like that. We don’t agree to that, but our President is there; we don’t want any impression that there’s division,” Oba Ogunwusi told journalists during an interview..

The Osun monarch clarified that the council is not limited to the South-West alone.

He said traditional rulers from the South-East are also involved, including respected leaders working together for national development.

“We don’t want to take out South-East. We have Eze Aro here. Eze Arochukwu is one of the very prominent traditional rulers in the South-East. We have a lot of southeastern traditional rulers with whom we are working together for the betterment of the country.

“So for us, it’s something that is key to let the whole world know that if you don’t want to be part of us, you can option your suggestion out. And please, we implore each and every one of us to focus more on news that is of quality, not social media and rumours. This is one of the major things affecting our country,” he added.

Backing the Ooni’s position, the Eze Aro of Arochukwu Kingdom, Eberechukwu Oji, who also serves as publicity secretary of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council, described the group as a growing movement.

“As the Ooni said, the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council is a movement. It’s a journey comprising members from across the entire southern part of Nigeria. The Ooni is our chairman.

“We have King Jaja of Opopo, who is from the South-South, and we have eminent traditional rulers from across the southern parts of Nigeria who have come together to advance the cause of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council,” the Abia monarch said.

Oji also stated that the council has the backing of the Federal Government.

He revealed that President Tinubu was present at its inauguration, which took place in Owerri, adding that government officials, the media, and other stakeholders witnessed the event.

“So let us put it on record and put it on record very clearly. The President was part of the inauguration of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers’ Council. It happened in Owerri, and we have representatives of both the press, the government, and stakeholders in that inauguration,” Oji told journalists.

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