Is Nigeria a monarchy?

                      The Alaafin of Oyo

Nigeria became a Republic in 1963. The constitution does not have a role for traditional rulers.

In fact the traditional rulers are subject to their local government chairmen.

In practice politicians try to court traditional rulers during elections for

their electoral value.

I recall what my late step grandmother once told me during a local government election. I wondered why she voted for a particular politician and she told me that the gods of her village would be angry with her had she voted for someone else.

This explains why politicians often court traditional rulers as representatives of the gods. What makes it interesting is that the politicians have replaced the gods in choosing the traditional rulers.

Since he who pays the piper calls the tune, as the politicians pick the traditional rulers, it follows that the voice the traditional rulers will be listening to will be that of their benefactors and not of the gods.

If the people have realized this, is not yet clear. This is the bane of political institutions in Nigeria.

That our politics is steeped in deceit is clearly mirrored in the foregoing. When political divisions arise, traditional rulers are always expected to support the party in power even when an opposition party had installed them on the throne.

This happens because political office is tenured but traditional office is for life. This accounts for the indignity that traditional rulers often suffer. It becomes worse bearing in mind that the constitution is drawn by politicians and no constitutional role is reserved for the traditional rulers.

Since Nigerians are yet to see through this contradiction, it pays the politicians to continue their practice of under development so as not to let the masses understand their deceit.

In time it will be clear that the traditional rulers cannot be trusted to give political direction and their political relevance will be seen for what it is - doers of the will of their benefactors.

In a Republic that we are their role is ceremonial and should be seen and left at that, not meddling in their affairs and using them to hoodwink voters.