This is a long term issue which should be kept in view from time to time before it becomes short term. The lure of lording it over others is always great and that is the reason why there is always an acrimonious fight for Paramount Chieftaincy sometimes involving occult practices. Chieftaincy is necessary for passing on traditions and customs from one generation to another. Therefore the selection process should be credible and kept out of the political demands of the central government. The question now is how relevant is the centuries old institution in this day and age?
The institution seems to have been better up-kept by our regional English –speaking countries of Nigeria and Ghana. In Nigeria there are virtual kingdoms like the Oni of Ife, the Alaka of Abeokuta and the Olubadan of Ibadan, etc. In Ghana there is the Asantehene which is virtually a Kingdom.
Monarchical rule is as old as civilization and is therefore not confined to African Chieftaincy. It is revealing that in spite of democracy sweeping round the world there are eight monarchies still existing. This quaint institution is all the more bizarre as it is found in highly developed countries like the Kingdom of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Britain, Morocco, Oman, Cambodia and Japan.
Turning to our national chieftaincies, it is sad to note that they are shorn of the traditional thrones and regalia that add lustre to the institution. They are scarcely distinguishable from the panoply of some of their wealthy subjects with ostentations life styles. The institution is gradually attracting more and more educated paramount chiefs. Incidentally the Bo Government School was founded for the sons and nominees of Chiefs whose products have been featuring in governance at that level for over a century. There is however a tendency for these educated chiefs to stifle some good customs. But as an adjunct to local governance they are indispensable.
It is curious that in this country female chieftaincy exists only in the Southern Province all due to the earlier traditions which have been maintained. There have been accounts of their impact on national development like Mammy Yoko for whom a street has been named in Freetown. Another is Madam Ella Koblo Gulama who was the first female Member of Parliament amongst others. Whether there will be a harmonization in this regard cannot be envisaged.
The role of Paramount Chiefs in our unicameral legislature has been nondescript. This is in spite of the fact that they have a separate electoral college and they are not expected to be partisan. It has however been found out that they tend to be hooked on to political parties according to the regions or their tribes to which they belong. There is a scant way in which this syndrome can be excised aside from a House of Chiefs or an Upper House which is not desirable in view of the foregoing.
The past government did lots of things to maintain the institution but giving them salaries has a tendency to get them to tow the government line thereby compromising their independence of national politics.
Aside from their lack of pomp and pageantry some Paramount Chiefs have not been behaving according to the dignity that is required of the institution. A case in point is that of a Paramount Chief who is alleged to have taken part in the rape of two girls in spite of the fact that a Paramount Chief is usually entitled to an unlimited number of wives by tradition.
Kingdoms rise and wane as well as Chiefdoms. As a result it is up to the government to strengthen Chieftaincy or let it slide into insignificance.