Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari held a meeting with the representatives of traditional rulers across the country led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar on the security challenges bedevilling the nation.
Top on the agenda of the meeting bordered on the yearnings of Nigerians especially the youths with a view to finding solution to challenges confronting them.
President Buhari announced that representatives of the federal government including his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari would commence the tour of various parts of the country to meet with traditional rulers and other stakeholders to reach the grassroots on various government programmes aimed at facilitating a better society.
The federal government’s meeting with representatives of traditional rulers and other stakeholders came up three weeks after youth protests against the brutality of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, unit of the police
The protests which started peacefully later turned violent as many people were killed and maimed while both public and private property were destroyed.
The federal government initiative to commence the process of communication through dialogue and education of citizens about its various programmes aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the people is a welcome idea.
However, government should not have waited this long when so much damage had been done to the nation’s economy before giving recognition to the roles of traditional rulers as enshrined in the constitution.
Traditional rulers are also closer to the people and they should have been involved in the communication process before this time.
Now that the federal government has set the ball rolling in closing the communication gap between leaders and the public, elected representatives of the people should join hands with the executives arm to collectively achieve a better Nigeria.
Members of the legislative houses both at the federal and state levels need to have regular meetings with the youths and traditional rulers in their constituencies to discuss various government programmes and schemes meant for them.
Many of the youth are aware of the schemes such as presidential youth empowerment scheme, Nigeria youth investment fund, among others but need to be more educated on how to access such programmes.
The legislature as the hope of the people with adequate representation in the various assemblies also has a role to play.
Roles of the conventional media houses, national orientation agency in educating the populace about government programs cannot be over emphasized as communication gap is capable of creating unnecessary suspicion.
The public deserves to know what the government has for them while the voice of the electorate should be heard on their expectations from their leaders.
It is only when the communication gap between government and the people are closed that there will be mutual understanding and the desired peace that will lead to development.
Aderemi Omotosho
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