Olugbo of Ugbo-nla in Ilaje area of Ondo State, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, has called on the National Assembly to give constitutional roles to traditional rulers.
Akinruntan spoke to State House correspondents on Tuesday evening after visiting President Goodluck Jonathan to commiserate with him on the Saturday helicopter crash that claimed the lives of former Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State; former National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi and four others.
After a closed door session with Jonathan, Akinruntan told State House correspondents. "I came to express my condolence to Mr. President because if I sent a letter, it would not carry much weight. That is why I came personally to see the President. What happened was very unfortunate. General Andrew Azazi was my friend; he was a gentleman, a nice man. I condole with Mr. President and members of his family."
On the ongoing efforts at amending the constitution, the monarch said it was time for the National Assembly to give constitutional roles to traditional rulers.
He said, "The Senate and the House of Representatives have to accommodate us.
"They should take a cue from what is happening in Ghana, where traditional rulers play very significant role in what is happening in that government and that is what we are fighting for.
"Traditional rulers have significant role to play in Nigeria's politics and if you look at it, we are recognised as part of the government, they must have a window for us and I know they are going to do it."
Akinruntan, who is also the Chairman of OBAT Oil and Gas Limited, however, declined comments when he was asked to speak on the government's insistence on the removal of petroleum subsidy.
