INTEGRATION OF TRADITIONAL RULERS’ ROLES IN NIGERIAN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: A STUDY OF LAYO OGUNLOLA’S NOVEL, KO SORO

Abstract

The roles of traditional rulers cannot be underestimated when it comes to the political and social transformations of society in contemporary Nigerian democratic governance. This paper x rays the roles, impact and types of duties that can be given to the traditional rulers in Nigerian democratic governance as it appears in the Yoruba novel titled ‘ Ko Soro’ by Layo Ogunlola based on the theory of Nativism. This study found out that the post of traditional rulers has diminished and needs to be given attention. This paper therefore recommends that traditional rulers should be integrated into the political democratic system of Nigeria as it was in 1963 constitution. It also suggests likely problems that could be encountered if traditional rulers are assigned roles in Nigerian political system and possible solutions to those challenges.