Currently, Nigeria finds itself ensnared in a twin crisis: depressed economic growth and widespread insecurity. Weakening public institutions and widespread poverty have contributed to rising banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, and separatist tensions. Amid this turmoil, traditional leaders – our emirs, obas, igwes, and chiefs – stand as pillars of moral authority and grassroots governance. Yet, their influence remains informal, constitutionally sidelined, and underutilised. This editorial examines their potential, the ongoing repositioning underway, and what this means for national recovery and citizen welfare.
“But in the absence of formal recognition and resources, traditional rulers become targets of politicisation, meddling, or fragmentation. Creating artificial titles undermines trust and sows divisiveness.”
Nigeria’s economy remains fragile despite reform efforts, with soaring inflation and soaring poverty. According to a World Bank update, 129 million Nigerians now live under the poverty line, nearly 56 percent of the population, as economic growth falls far behind inflationary pressures. These economic strains undermine public trust, accelerate youth restiveness, and fuel criminality.
Simultaneously, security challenges are mounting; kidnappings, insurgencies, bandit attacks, oil theft, and border vulnerabilities plague the nation. Notably, Nigeria’s defence chief has publicly advocated erecting fences along borders with Cameroon, the Niger Republic, the Benin Republic, and Chad, an unprecedented call aimed at curbing insurgent infiltration.
The mining sector in Zamfara State, once plagued by insecurity, has only recently resumed operations after a years-long suspension, demonstrating the economic opportunities unlocked by improved security.
Traditional rulers are deeply embedded in their communities and possess situational awareness. Across regions, from Abia to Kaduna, royal fathers have been credited for acting as first responders, eyes on the ground, and early-warning networks.
In Kaduna, Governor Uba Sani underscored their essential role in non-kinetic security strategies, praising their consistent information-sharing with security agencies and memorialising the state’s relative peace as evidence.
In areas where formal justice infrastructure is inadequate, traditional leaders mediate disputes swiftly and culturally. In the Southeast, Igwe Samuel Asadu has urged monarchs to expand beyond ceremonial roles to resolve conflicts, lead community policing, engage youths, and raise civic awareness.
As custodians of cultural heritage, traditional institutions maintain legitimacy. Civil society advocates, like the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), argue that traditional rulers should be formally integrated into security architecture, with responsibilities aligned across police and emergency services for localised effectiveness.
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Governors and national bodies are beginning to heed this. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Council of Traditional Rulers (NCTR) discussed constitutional amendments to embed traditional rulers in grassroots governance and security management. In July 2025, monarchs from the Northwest demanded constitutional recognition to protect institutional legitimacy and enhance oversight.
Meanwhile, the Senate has proposed legislation to establish a National Council for Traditional Rulers, a formal institutional anchor, currently under committee review.
In politically fractured spaces, traditional rulers restore confidence. Their proximity to citizens reduces alienation, strengthens civic cohesion, and, when correctly empowered, can undercut recruitment into violent networks. Secure communities are fertile grounds for investment, farming, and trade. As seen in Zamfara, lifting mining restrictions due to improved local security restored economic activity. Traditional rulers who help uphold local peace indirectly consolidate macroeconomic recovery.
With unemployment and poverty as key drivers of criminality, traditional councils can lead youth empowerment initiatives through skills training, mentorship, and cultural platforms, providing viable alternatives to criminal economies.
But in the absence of formal recognition and resources, traditional rulers become targets of politicisation, meddling, or fragmentation. Creating artificial titles undermines trust and sows divisiveness.
Constitutional recognition, codifying roles for traditional rulers in security advisory capacities and community development councils, as championed by the Senate Bill (SB 546), is a major step forward.
Capacity-building investments, providing training in security best practices, community policing, and dispute mediation, as well as logistical support like the vehicles distributed in Kaduna, will give them a sense of belonging.
Formal collaboration platforms, establishing structured liaison networks where palace informants report directly to policing units, and traditional councils feeding into Regional Security Councils should be encouraged.
Youth mobilisation frameworks, supporting traditional institutions in launching vocational programmes, local peace clubs, and civic awareness campaigns to channel restive energies positively, will also be in the right direction.
Preserving cultural trust and safeguarding the neutrality of traditional crowns from partisan politics, tribal fragmentation, or artificial kingdom creation will prevent division in the communities.
In Nigeria’s uphill battle for economic revival and peace, traditional rulers are more than symbols; they are invaluable, often untapped resources. Their cultural authority, grassroots anchoring, and vast understanding of local contexts are assets that should be harnessed, not sidelined.
For too long, policy has ignored the latent potential of palaces, coronets, and councils. As instability deepens and livelihoods fray, integrating traditional rulers into governance frameworks may prove pivotal. Their empowerment is not regression; it is pragmatic reinforcement of structures that still hold the nation’s moral compass.
Citizens deserve stable communities and fair opportunities. The nation deserves cohesion, security, and sustainable growth. In a depressed economy and an insecure state, traditional rulers, if armed with legitimacy and tools, can help deliver both.
