Chukwu David 
The Senate, yesterday, passed for second reading the Bill seeking to grant the National Council for Traditional Rulers formal recognition and define its role in governance.
The Senate passed the bill, sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South), for second reading when it was presented for general debate at plenary.
Presenting the bill, Senator Lalong, said before the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates and the Colony of Lagos by British colonialists, traditional rulers were highly influential in the country’s governance process.
He said: “They governed their societies as custodians of culture, tradition, values, morals, and religious beliefs.
“They also played key roles in resolving communal conflicts, managing security challenges, and regulating commerce through inter-kingdom trade.”
He explained that traditional rulers were at the peak of their influence between 1910 and 1960, serving as executive, legislative, and judicial authorities under British colonial rule.
Their influence continued during Nigeria’s First Republic, when they were members of the regional Houses of Chiefs.
