ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the meaning of traditional leadership, and makes careful use of the available literature to explore the significance of traditional leadership for improved governance and public services. It explains the historical background of traditional leadership as a foundational milestone to explore the status and role of traditional leaders in society in the promotion of sustainable development. The chapter focuses on traditional leadership in African countries. The underlying principle of the workshop was to discuss the significance of harmonizing traditional and modern governance structures for social and economic transformation in Africa. The core focus of the discussion between traditional leaders and other stakeholders was to amalgamate the traditional and modern government structures for improved governance and enhanced delivery of localized services. To bring traditional leaders into the mainstream of modern public administration has proved to be a challenge to democratic nation-states in Africa. Concerted deliberations with all stakeholders must generate new thoughts, concepts, and innovations.
