Oba Francis Alao, Akinbola I, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon in Oyo State has advocated for the transfer of control of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria to traditional rulers for optimal performance.
Alao, who is also Vice-Chairman of Oyo State Traditional Council, made the call in an interview with newsmen during the recent visit of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to his palace at Orile-Igbon in the Surulere Local Government Area.
The monarch attributed poverty in the country to the incompetence of the local government administration, hence the need for the Federal Government and the National Assembly to relinquish 774 local government areas to traditional rulers.
“As far as we are concerned, there is no local government all over the country anymore. Its administration lacks performance. All the 774 local governments across Nigeria are not working at all. Let the traditional rulers take over the position. Also, let there be local government and judiciary autonomy. This will help the nation to grow and bring progress to the nation.
“There are many fantastic traditional rulers who are more academically equipped than those we put there. We have retired judges, military officers, accountants, and a lot of others. Let them give us a constitutional role so the nation can be healed. There is a lot of division all over the country. The crime rate is high because 80 percent of Nigerians are living in abject poverty.
“There is no middle-class Nigerian anymore. It is either you are poor, extremely poor or you are wealthy. No rich Nigerian. Those who are rich, are extremely rich and they are not even up to two percent of the entire population. The rest are poor. There are no middle-class Nigerians economically,” he said.
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