Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, yesterday, presented 65 brand new Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) to traditional rulers across the state, a move he described as a strategic investment in grassroots governance.
 
The presentation, held at the Government House, Asaba, saw 60 Toyota Prado SUVs and five Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles handed over to royal fathers drawn from various parts of the state. Oborevwori said the vehicles were intended as “tools of service” to enhance the capacity of traditional rulers as custodians of peace and stability at the community level.
 
Describing the event as “very important and symbolic in the life of his administration,” the governor noted that traditional rulers constitute a critical but often underappreciated layer of leadership within the governance framework.
 
“They are not merely custodians of our customs, norms, and traditions; they are vital intermediaries between government and the people at the grassroots,” Oborevwori said.
 
The governor credited traditional institutions with easing governance in Delta State, particularly in community mobilisation, dispute resolution, peacebuilding, and collaboration with security agencies.
 
According to him, many royal fathers operate in difficult terrains and are frequently on the road responding to government directives and mediating local conflicts, often without material compensation.
 
“Our royal fathers are often on the road, engaging in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. They do all these voluntarily and willingly. For this, we are truly grateful,” he said, adding that the choice of rugged SUVs was deliberate to match the rural environments many of them serve.
 
But Deltans swiftly raised questions about public spending priorities amid prevailing economic pressures and insecurity in the state.
 
While the administration framed the gesture as part of its commitment to inclusive governance and justice, Deltans decried the scale and cost of the intervention, especially at a time when Nigerians are grappling with rising living costs, infrastructure deficits, and constrained public resources.
 
According to them, such high-value allocations to unelected office holders could deepen perceptions of elite privilege, adding that the money would have been committed to provide security in the state.