Ovie of Umiaghwa-Abraka Kingdom has said the arrival of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in Government House is blowing Deltans fresh air from the old order, though it’s too early to assess him but so far he has started well.
He made this disclosure in an interview with some Abuja based journalists in his Abuja residence on Friday in commemoration with his 70th birthday and 12years as a traditional ruler slated for April 4 in Abraka Kingdom.
The revered traditional ruler, said: “It’s too early to assess the Governor, but so far so good he has brought us fresh breath of air and because of his legislative background, he knows the grumblings of the people.
“The N89billion contract he awarded to Julius Berger is a testimony to this fact because what we have in Delta State are seasonal roads, once the rains start, the roads vanish.
“I have not really done an indepth study of his MORE Agenda but from what we have seen so far there’s going to be massive shift from the old order.
“Another glaring thing about him is that he’s not a sectional leader like others who concentrated all developments in their communities.
On insecurity and the role of traditional rulers, he said: “Traditional rulers have a role to play. There is no doubt. Everybody has a role to play in issues of security. Okay?
“And ours, for example, because we are closest to the people, we certainly have better intelligence than even the intelligence organs because they can tell me. They have confidence in me and things that they would not tell the police, for example, they will tell me.
“As to powers to effect or control these dynamics, the traditional rulers don’t have it because it is not in the constitution. You don’t have the constitutional authority to do most of the things you ought to do.
“And ordinarily, traditional rulers rule by influence. And by influence, I mean, your subject, out of tradition, just revere you. They know that you will not go against their interest. So they believe in whatever you are doing, that is in their own best interest. Okay? So, because of that, we can better influence things positively.
“But do you have the resources? Do you have the legal backing? For example, there is an issue; you take a decision in council, this is the best way for this kingdom to go about it.
And somebody objects to that method, despite the fact that the community as a whole has agreed and goes to court. What other influence, what other authority does the traditional ruler have to make him cooporate? There is none!
” And once you have somebody within the community that is a non-conformist, he can throw this into the dustbin. So we are constrained by the law or by the absence of the law, more appropriately.