Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has officially flagged off the 2026 Zonal Traditional Rulers' Capacity-Building Workshop, an initiative aimed at strengthening the role of traditional institutions in fostering peace, security, inclusive governance and sustainable community development across the state.

The workshop, themed "Strengthening Traditional Institutions for Peace, Security, Inclusive Governance and Sustainable Community Development in Abia State," commenced on Thursday at the headquarters of Umuahia North Local Government Area.

Represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Uzor Nwachukwu, Governor Otti said the programme was designed to equip traditional rulers with modern knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively carry out their responsibilities.

He explained that the workshop goes beyond a routine gathering of royal fathers, stressing that it was created to enhance their leadership capacity and prepare them for the evolving demands of community governance.

"We are not desirous of gathering traditional rulers for the sake of just having you in one place," the governor said.

"Our core objective is to awaken the sense of responsibility among our traditional rulers and connect the timeless wisdom of our rich community leadership heritage with the evolving demands of modern governance."

According to Otti, the training will expose participants to updated approaches in conflict resolution, administrative leadership and strategic community development, enabling them to better serve their communities.

He described traditional rulers as the first line of defence in maintaining peace, stability and development at the grassroots, urging them to take full advantage of the workshop to improve their effectiveness.

Providing further insight into the programme, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Oge Maduka, said the workshop was carefully designed to strengthen the capacity of traditional rulers through contemporary knowledge, practical leadership skills and strategic partnerships.

She noted that the training would better position royal fathers to respond to the opportunities and challenges associated with modern traditional leadership.

Speaking after the opening ceremony, the traditional ruler of Ọrọ-Ibere Autonomous Community, Eze Stanley Ijenwa, commended Governor Otti for introducing the capacity-building initiative, describing it as a timely programme that would enhance the performance of traditional rulers across the state.

The workshop also featured presentations by resource persons on key issues relating to leadership, governance, peacebuilding and community development.