A former Minister of Petroleum Resources and the MINGI XII, Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom in Beyelsa State, King Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru, has lamented that traditional rulers are currently under pressure owing to the development challenges at the local level of government.
Speaking during his 80th birthday lecture and book launch which held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, the royal father acknowledged that kings are overseeing communities and kingdoms that lack basic development.
He said that Nigeria has 774 LGA’s, which are recognized in the constitution, and are part of the budgeting process of the States, but that in the past two decades, local communities have been confronted with serious issues of underdevelopment.
According to him, “Their functionality and economic well-being is a prime responsibility of the States. But since the past two decades, if not three, they have become a drain on national resources instead of being development centers and the foundation of national economic production.”
The royal father reiterated that kings in the present time have to oversee empty shells of economic dream of the mid-seventies.
“Thus, after all is said and done, it is these empty shells of the economic dream of the mid-seventies that the kings in the present time have to oversee in some form or other.”
Speaking further, King Edmund said, “The burden on us varies according to the local circumstances. I complain about mine, but we labour on in love, regardless, knowing that others may be even worse of. Don’t be surprised if I come around again soon, lobbying some of you to assist in the launching of the next phase of development of my kingdom, which will encompass a gas-turbine, integrated farming and fish culture; land reclamation and large-scale reticulated water system; among others,” he said.
The Nembe King also got encomiums from His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh Muhammad Said Abubakar who said traditional leaders are not politicians, hence their unity cannot be limited by any form of political barriers.
According to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who was also at the event, the person of King Edmund is rare to find. The Oba acknowledged his numerous achievements as a political figure.