A cleric in Oyo town has accused the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of withholding the salaries and allowances of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, for several months.
The cleric made the allegation in a video circulating on social media, where he appealed to Governor Makinde to reconsider the decision and pay the alleged arrears.
He expressed concern that the situation could leave the monarch without the resources needed to meet his obligations, urging the governor to intervene.
The development comes amid an ongoing controversy involving the Alaafin, who has reportedly been absent from some government functions in recent months.
A source close to the palace, however, said the allegation was not entirely false, claiming that the Alaafin had also been denied access to the palace council’s account and funds meant for the day-to-day running of the institution.
According to the source, the situation initially lasted about six months and was thought to be an administrative bottleneck, as the state government was said to have cited the need for approval from authorised signatories.
The source said, “Alaafin is only getting a basic salary, but the money meant to run the activities that keep the institution standing is being withheld.”
The source, however, claimed that the situation had persisted for more than a year.
As of the time of filing this report, the Oyo State Government had not issued an official statement on the allegation.
