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Traditional institutions in Africa have shown resiliency, especially when the state is often perceived to be an avenue for exploitation and self-enrichment. Large populations continue to rely on traditional authorities. While acknowledging the imperative for the promotion of peace, culture, social cohesion, and security, many African countries have maintained their traditional institutions. This article examines the trend of state formation in Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire from a historical perspective, and investigates factors that threaten the existence of traditional institutions in the face of modernity. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. They reveal that, despite the resilient nature of traditional institutions, factors like the adoption of modern government, rise in religious fanaticism, conduct unacceptable to traditional obligations, succession crises, non-inclusion of history, social, and cultural studies in the formal education system threaten their continual existence.
INTRODUCTION
Traditional institutions arc the old-est and most enduring institutions of governance, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa like Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Cameroon. According to Orji and Olali (2010), traditional institutions are established based on native laws and customs, and thereby constituting indigenous social and political arrangements. Mengisteab (2005:285) suggests that African societies in the pre-colonial era had effective political and socio-economic institutions that were charged with law-making, conflict resolution, resource allocations and social control. Furthermore, Mohammed (2006) proposes that comprehensively, traditional institutions should include traditional leaders, royal families, council of chiefs, traditional security members, as well as royal historians and praise-singers. As the name implies, traditional institution is simply built upon or based on history, ancestry, culture, custom, religion and values of the people, and the institution principally revolves around the traditional ruler who serves as the head and chief custodian of the culture of the people. While African traditional rulers/leaders adopt different local titles, which simply translate to "king," some monarchs specifically in southwestern Nigeria, often derive their titles from founders of their respective independent or from major circumstances surrounding the establishment of their states or communities.
Typically, selection of persons into the offices of traditional institutions is mostly hereditary, except in a few cases (Nweke, 2012:206). For instance, in most parts of south-western Nigeria, the various traditions and customs, as well as the Chiefs Law and Declarations, require the kingmakers to notify the appropriate ruling house(s), who in turn...