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Ibadan chief, Adegoke canvasses constitutional roles for traditional rulers to fight insecurity
The Aare-Onibon Balogun of Ibadanland, Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke has declared that there is a need for the government to involve traditional rulers in governance to fight insecurity, saying they are closer to the people.
Adegoke also advised the people of integrity such as professionals, academics, and technocrats not to steer clear of politics so as not to allow hoodlums and miscreants to be in positions of leadership.
He stated this while featuring on a radio program “Agbami Oselu” on Fresh FM, Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Sunday.
Adegoke, who is Oyo south senatorial hopeful said there was the need for the government to involve traditional rulers in governance particularly on the security issue because they are closer to the people.
He called for a constitutional amendment by the National Assembly to accommodate such roles for traditional rulers in governance.
Aare-Onibon, who is the Founder of Adegboyega Adegoke Resource Centre (AARC) emphasised that security is germane to the peaceful coexistence of any community and national development.
Noting that it is high time for the government to take security issues more seriously by delegating constitutional roles to traditional rulers.
This according to him, would afford them to have first hands information on security issues in their various communities and as such, they would know how to address any security challenge that may arise from their domains.
Adegoke, who is the Chairman, Solutions 93.9FM, Ibadan noted that to reduce insecurity to the barest minimum there should be responsibility for traditional rulers across the board, which should be spelled out constitutionally.
Adegoke, who is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a business turnaround expert maintained that security is the backbone of any society, which is tied to its social, political, economic, and cultural growth.
According to him, the inadequacy of this vital ingredient of development has led to all manner of social ills, including violent crimes such as armed robbery, ritual killings, child trafficking, and other crimes.
Adegoke, an alumni member of both OAU Ife and the University of Cambridge Judge Business School Advance Leadership Program, said the government on its part should make traditional rulers more responsible constitutionally to their domain, to reduce social vices to the barest minimum.
According to him, “Traditional rulers are closer to the people than local government chairmen. It is very hard to see anyone who will not recognise their monarch but they may not even know their local government chairman.
“Therefore, for democracy to thrive, there is the need for the involvement of traditional rulers in governance, particularly in the area of security.
“People of integrity should join politics in order not to give hoodlums a chance to be in power. There will be scarcity in the country. there will be a shortage of food, there will be inflation if the hoodlums take over because there is this saying that you cannot give what you don’t have.
“If we don’t participate in politics, it is the miscreants and the hoodlums that will be ruling us and we cannot complain. We are not putting a round peg in a round hole. There is a problem of leadership and followership”, he stressed.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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