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By Sola Rotimi
Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State has decried what it described as unfair treatment by the State government over the continued exclusion of its traditional rulers from grading and upgrading exercises.
President of the Moro Descendants Development Union MODDU, Prof. Reuben Akano, made this known while briefing newsmen in Shao community.
The Union described as unjust the consistent omission of Moro Local Government from all grading, re-grading, and upgrading of traditional institutions and rulers since 2003.
According to the Union, the Kwara State edict placing Moro under an emirate system is contrary to the wishes of the people and allegedly violates provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In the last two months, about 65 monarchs in Kwara South Senatorial District have been graded and upgraded into various classes,” he said.
“Moro Local Government falls within Kwara North Senatorial District, which comprises Baruten, Edu, Kaiama, Moro, and Patigi local government areas.
“It is disheartening that among these five local governments, only Moro does not currently have a graded chief or its own traditional council.
“Other local governments that were similarly co-opted into an emirate system are already benefiting from grading and elevation of their traditional institutions and rulers–why is Moro different?” it queried.
MODDU called on the state government to ensure equity and fairness among the 16 local government areas by addressing what it termed longstanding imbalance and anomalies.
According to the Union, Moro people deserve their inalienable right to self-determination, adding that the unity and stability of the state should be upheld irrespective of ethnic, religious, or socio-political differences.
It appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to reconsider the union’s renewed request and extend similar gestures granted to traditional rulers in Kwara South to those in Moro Local Government.
It also urged the government to uphold the January 29, 2014 judgment delivered by Justice Hannah Ajayi in favour of the Oba of Jebba.
The Moro Descendants Development Union, therefore, unanimously called for the restoration and upgrading of the Ohoro of Shao and the Oba of Jebba to their pre-1984 statuses of Third Class and First Class rulers respectively.
MODDU further demanded the immediate recognition and proper grading of traditional rulers in Moro Local Government Area.
In their separate remarks, the affected traditional rulers appealed to the State government to recognise them as Yoruba traditional authorities and accord them the appropriate rights, titles, and privileges.
