The Abia State Government has commenced a zonal capacity-building workshop for traditional rulers, aimed at strengthening their roles in promoting peace, security, good governance and sustainable community development.
Governor Alex Otti flagged off the 2026 Zonal Traditional Rulers’ Capacity Building Workshop at the Umuahia North Local Government Council headquarters.
Represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, Governor Otti said the training was designed to equip traditional rulers with contemporary knowledge and practical tools to effectively discharge their responsibilities.
The governor described traditional rulers as the first line of defence in maintaining peace, stability and development at the grassroots, stressing the need to continually strengthen their capacity to respond to the demands of modern governance.
Otti said the workshop would focus on areas including conflict resolution, administrative leadership and strategic community development, while encouraging the royal fathers to maximise the opportunity to improve their leadership skills.
Speaking on the objectives of the programme, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Lady Oge Maduka, said the workshop was themed, “Strengthening Traditional Institutions for Peace, Security, Inclusive Governance and Sustainable Community Development in Abia State.”
Maduka explained that the programme was designed to strengthen the leadership capacity of traditional rulers, equip them with contemporary strategies for conflict resolution and community development, and create opportunities for knowledge and experience sharing.
She noted that traditional rulers play an important role as custodians of culture, promoters of peace and partners in grassroots governance, stressing that the training would enhance their ability to respond effectively to emerging challenges in their communities.
One of the participants, the Traditional Ruler of Oro-Ibere Autonomous Community, Eze Dr. Stanley Ijenwa, commended Governor Otti for initiating the capacity-building programme.
Eze Ijenwa described the workshop as timely, saying it would broaden the knowledge of traditional rulers on their responsibilities beyond cultural preservation and strengthen their capacity to promote peace and security in their respective domains.
He called for the programme to be sustained as a regular initiative rather than a one-off exercise and pledged the commitment of participating traditional rulers to applying the knowledge gained to improve governance and development in their communities.
The workshop, which featured presentations by resource persons, attracted traditional rulers from across the Abia Central Senatorial District.
