Traditional rulers generally are meant to be role models, mediators between their community people and governerment. They are also expected to be the custodians of culture and tradition.

Their characters, dressing and comportment in both private and public should be that which will always promote unity among the people of their domains, preserving their values.

But misdemeanors of some of these traditional rulers lately is becoming worrisome. Many of them have involved in several things that are not king-like. Thereby bringing shame and disrespect the so called culture and values they claimed to be promoting. Which has made people questioning the way and manners some of these traditional rulers ascended the throne of their various towns.

Below however are some of the traits a traditional ruler must possess according to a respected Yoruba monarch, the Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, in one of his interviews, when he was asked about who really is a traditional ruler.

“When you are taken to the hollow spot of your ancestors, you made a covenant. Those covenants are part of keeping the concept of traditional rulership you are groomed to assume. You made a covenant to serve your God, to serve your people and humanity.

How do you serve them? First, as a traditional ruler it means the culture, the ethos and the history of your people you will project them, enhance them and always fight for their maintenance at all time. That means the covenant is for life.

It is not like when people are appointed as governor or as a judge, to swear-in on oath. Most people swear on oath when they are taking oath of office but no sooner than they are inducted into office either as governor or commissioner that they forget the oath on the table and begin to do as they like. And there is no covenant with the people. They don’t relate to the people. But traditional rulership you are now to serve your people, every day you renew that covenant.

For example in Oyo, you have the drummers stationed at a specific place, they wake you up and they remind you of the covenant that you have made before your ancestors, to serve them day and night and if possible die, defending the honorable norms of that custom. It projects you, even mundane things of life, your public appearances, your demeanor, how you dress.

You must project trait of the people so that when an average person sees you, intuitively, they must be able to say yes, this is an Oba.

There are so many things you should not do, there are so many things you should do. And you must not be caught napping, derogating from those values you want to enhance; your speeches, your contributions to the society, you must be the good example of those cultural believes.

Having in mind the fact that culture is the principal magnificent that must not lack. You can’t afford to behave as if you are living in the city of cultural void where no sense of value prevails and you can do anything with yourself.

You can’t be dangling here and there between two cultures; you are never here nor there. So when you go out, even how you dress depicts the cultural essence of your people. So that by doing that you can rally-round the people and you must identify with the aspirations of your people.

If as traditional ruler like myself receive the support, the adoration, the reference of my people, if I go out ten times a day, ten times people throng to the street, prostrating and saying Kabiyesi. One important thing you must do, you must be able to use your time and talent to concretize that support for fruitful economics advantage to the people. So that, that reference, that allor, that adoration, will continue to endure to be there.

You must not engage in economics activities that some people engaged in. if they set up petrol station, you must not have petrol station. If they set bakery, you must not do it, otherwise there would be a clash.

Why should a father compete with his own children on economic activities? It must not overlap, they must not clash. But satisfying them, for instance, by generous land grants, we have granted lands to businesses, businesses prosper. There must be peace and tranquility; there must be a father figure.”