For much of Nigeria’s pre-colonial and early colonial history, traditional rulers were the central organs of governance. They controlled land, enforced customary law, maintained security, and exercised both administrative and judicial authority. But this influence did not survive Nigeria’s constitutional evolution. The 1954 Lyttleton Constitution began the systematic transfer of executive power from traditional institutions to elected governments. The 1960 and 1963 Constitutions deepened this shift, while the 1979 Constitution and ultimately the 1999 Constitution finalised it by excluding traditional rulers from any formal executive role.
Today, the 1999 Constitution recognises government strictly through elected and statutory institutions. Section 318 defines “government” in terms that expressly leave out traditional authority. The Constitution’s schedules outlining the functions of federal, state, and local governments make no mention of traditional institutions. Even the State Councils of Traditional Rulers, referenced indirectly through Section 5(2) and formally established only by state laws, are advisory bodies without enforceable powers.
Budgetary autonomy is also absent. Sections 80 to 83 outline the framework for public expenditure, yet no provision exists for traditional councils. Additionally, the Land Use Act of 1978 vested land ownership in state governors, removing what was historically one of the most significant spheres of traditional authority. Security powers, once enforced at the community level by the palace, are now centralised under Section 214 of the constitution, which grants the state exclusive control over policing.
In effect, traditional rulers have been constitutionally recognised but structurally relegated. They are custodians without statutory authority, stabilisers without budgets, and cultural executives without executive powers. Communities still rely heavily on them for peace, mediation, and cultural continuity, yet the legal framework offers them little more than symbolic presence.
It is against this backdrop that Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja’s recent observation must be understood: it is far easier to be a governor than a traditional ruler.
Oba Ladoja was not exaggerating. He was speaking from rare experience. Few Nigerians have moved from the seat of executive power to the throne of ancestral authority. His remark exposes a structural truth, the country often overlooks: the modern state is heavily armed with law, bureaucracy, and predictable funding, while traditional institutions operate with none of these advantages yet remain deeply responsible for the well-being of their people.
Governors function with constitutional powers, defined budgets, and established institutions. They have security agencies at their disposal, as well as administrative machinery that can translate policy into action. Traditional rulers, by contrast, are recognised in state laws but denied formal constitutional authority. They have no statutory revenue base, no institutional coercive power, and yet they are expected to keep order, mediate disputes, mobilise development, and maintain cultural coherence. It is a demanding role carried out with nothing more than legitimacy, history, and the trust of the community.
The above is on one part, on the other part, the absence of constitutional backing has not diminished the influence or ingenuity of traditional rulers. Across Nigeria, many have built functional palace councils that act as effective community governance structures. Others have leveraged their standing to attract development partners, negotiate peace, and rally communities behind projects that governments often struggle to implement. In these ways, traditional rulers continue to show that the strength of the stool is not only in its history but in its capacity to innovate.
The challenge today is how these leaders can govern effectively within this imbalanced structure and also remain financially sustainable without diluting the dignity of their office.
A useful path is institutional strengthening. Palaces that adopt professional secretariats, transparent processes, and strategic planning instantly position themselves as credible partners for government agencies, NGOs, and international bodies. Many development organisations prefer to work through respected community structures. A well-organised traditional institution naturally becomes a gateway to successful grassroots engagement.
Another opportunity lies in cultural and heritage-based revenue generation. Properly curated festivals, tourism initiatives, historical documentation, and cultural exhibitions can create steady economic activity. These initiatives do not exploit the community. Rather, they celebrate identity while creating jobs, supporting artisans, and attracting visitors.
Traditional rulers can also explore public-private collaborations that benefit the community. Their unique legitimacy makes them ideal conveners for projects around land preservation, , youth engagement, environmental restoration, and local peacebuilding. This is not commercialisation of the throne , it is strategic leadership that turns influence into sustainable development.
Above all, traditional rulers can also continue to lead through collaborative governance. They may not command security forces, but they shape local peace. They cannot pass laws, but they define the community’s moral direction. They do not control budgets, but they can mobilise goodwill, partnerships, and resources in ways that elected officials often cannot. These softer powers have sustained communities for centuries, and they remain vital today.
Nigeria must recognise this reality. Traditional rulers are not ceremonial ornaments. They are stabilisers, mediators, archivists of culture, and bridges between the state and the grassroots. They carry responsibilities no constitution has acknowledged, yet no society can ignore.
Oba Ladoja’s comment, therefore, should not be interpreted as a lament. It is a reminder, and an invitation. It calls on the nation to rethink the statutory position of traditional institutions, and it challenges traditional rulers to continue reinventing their roles with creativity, discipline, and purpose.
Nevertheless , it’s also possible that without constitutional certainty, a well-led traditional institution can thrive. With thoughtful governance, strategic partnerships, and innovative financial models, the stool can remain not only relevant, but powerful, dignified, and sustainably positioned in a modern democratic Nigeria.
Dr. Aderonke Adegbite is an expert in Law, Inclusion, and Community Development.
