Ohanaeze Rejects Senate Bill to Elevate Ooni of Ife, Sultan of Sokoto

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has strongly rejected a proposed Senate bill that seeks to name the Ooni of Ife and the Sultan of Sokoto as permanent co-chairmen of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.

The controversial bill, which recently passed second reading in the Senate, is aimed at formally institutionalizing the leadership of the council, ostensibly to promote national unity and cultural cooperation among Nigeria’s diverse traditional institutions.

However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo says the bill is not only unconstitutional, but also discriminatory and insensitive to Nigeria’s multi-ethnic structure. 

He stated that the Senate had not fulfilled its responsibility as the primary legislative body and custodian of the nation’s democratic mandate.

The group described the bill as inequitable, discriminatory, and ethnocentric and further characterized it as distasteful, reprehensible, and objectionable.

The group argues that elevating two traditional rulers to permanent leadership roles, without room for rotational or inclusive representation, undermines the federal character principle.

The statement goes on to say “Igbo traditional leadership, just like others, deserves equal recognition and should not be relegated to subordinate status.”

Ohanaeze further warned that the move could deepen divisions and sow seeds of discord among Nigeria’s ethnic groups, especially in a political climate already marked by agitation for inclusiveness and justice.

The group has called on South-East Senators and lawmakers from other southern regions to oppose the bill, and urged the National Assembly to revisit the framework to reflect Nigeria’s pluralistic society.

The Senate has not yet responded to the criticisms, but as debate over the bill intensifies, many are watching to see how lawmakers will navigate the delicate balance between tradition, unity, and equity.