Traditional rulers and village heads across parts of South-West Nigeria have raised concerns over poor remuneration and the failure of relevant authorities to pay their monthly allowances.
The monarchs said the situation had made life increasingly difficult for them, leaving many unable to meet their personal needs or adequately manage the affairs of their communities.
Some complained that they had gone several months without receiving payments, while others said their monthly stipends were too small to cover even basic expenses.
Several village heads, popularly known as Baales, disclosed that they received between N10,000 and N15,000 monthly.
Some said they were not receiving anything despite continuing to perform traditional duties and attend official meetings.
The complaints have also raised questions about the financial arrangements for traditional institutions at the local government level, particularly the distribution of funds meant for traditional rulers across different ranks.
The development follows complaints by the Oloyan of Oyan in Osun State, Oba Kelani Adekeye, who recently lamented that traditional rulers and chiefs in his area had not received their salaries for seven months.
In a viral video, the monarch expressed frustration over the situation, saying, “The kings and chiefs are starving.”
Further accounts from traditional rulers across Osun, Oyo and Ogun states suggest that the financial difficulties extend beyond one community.
A prominent traditional ruler in Osun State, who spoke anonymously, said several monarchs were struggling financially and had approached colleagues for assistance.
According to him, the situation was not limited to junior traditional titleholders, as some senior monarchs were also finding it difficult to meet their financial obligations.
He said, “The monarch you are talking about is not the only one complaining. Some of them, even those who are older than me, have approached me to seek support, although I am also not being paid as a king.
“Kings are lamenting, and we know why. We have no money. We just hope that President Bola Tinubu will see to the release of the local government allocations being withheld by the federal government.”
A Baale in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State also disclosed that he had not received any salary since becoming a village head more than three years ago.
The traditional titleholder said he had continued to carry out his responsibilities using money from his personal business and other sources of income.
He added that about 31 Baales in the local government were facing similar difficulties, with no regular government payments or access to their expected entitlements.
He said, “I have not received any salary since I assumed the throne over three years ago. I have only been surviving because I already had what I was doing before I became a baale.
“About 31 of us in Ede North Local Government are not receiving anything from the government. We are also not getting all our entitlements.”
The situation is also reportedly affecting traditional rulers in parts of Oyo State, where a monarch from the Ogbomoso area questioned the amount allocated to lower-ranking chiefs.
The monarch explained that the distribution arrangement placed first-class traditional rulers in control of the five per cent allocation meant for traditional institutions from local government funds.
He alleged that senior monarchs received the largest portions before distributing the remaining money among second-class and third-class rulers, as well as village heads.
According to him, the amount eventually reaching some Baales was insufficient to support their responsibilities.
He said, “What some of us receive every month is nothing to write home about. I have people, village heads, receiving between N10,000 and N15,000 every month. What are they going to do with such a terrible amount?
“The allocation to traditional rulers sits with the first-class kings, who then distribute it to lesser kings and village heads. Before it gets down, the money would have been reduced to crumbs. What we receive cannot sustain us.”
In Ogun State, several Baales also complained about the lack of financial support from the government, saying they had continued to spend their personal resources to maintain their communities.
A village head in Ewekoro Local Government Area accused the government of neglecting traditional institutions despite relying on community leaders to mobilise residents during elections.
He claimed that about 700 Baales operated in the local government, but only approximately 20 received monthly stipends of N10,000. Even those payments, he alleged, were irregular.
The traditional ruler also questioned the demand for payment before the collection of digital certificates, saying the financial burden was difficult for village heads who were already struggling.
He said, “We are getting nothing from the government. We are about 700 baales in Ewekoro Local Government, and about 20 of us are receiving a monthly stipend of N10,000, but even this is not paid regularly. Some time ago, we were asked to pay N80,000 to collect a digital certificate. What that means, I really don’t know. Yet, when elections come, we are the ones they call upon to mobilise people for them.”
Another Baale from Ogun Waterside Local Government Area said he was unaware of any village head in the area receiving a regular monthly allowance.
He explained that community leaders often spent their own money to attend meetings and carry out responsibilities assigned to them.
The Baale added that the demands of traditional leadership sometimes affected their ability to concentrate on their private businesses and other sources of income.
He said, “There are over 70 baales in Ogun Waterside Local Government, but I don’t know of any baale who is receiving a monthly stipend. Even when we go for meetings, we spend our money.
“The baales are hungry, not to talk of the residents. So, the government must address this situation because once you become a baale, you may not even have time to attend to your business because of meetings here and there.
“So, the government must recognise that baales play crucial roles in maintaining law and order at the grassroots and should, therefore, be supported to discharge these responsibilities with ease.”
A Baale from Remo North Local Government Area also confirmed that village heads in the area had experienced irregular payments.
He recalled that they previously received N15,000 through the Akarigbo but said the payments stopped in March.
The traditional ruler questioned the value of the allowance, noting that village heads were expected to attend meetings, settle disputes and provide assistance to residents despite the limited financial support.
He said, “There was a time we were receiving N15,000 from the government through the Akarigbo, but we have not received anything since March. What can N15,000 do? It is not even sufficient to buy recharge cards, yet we run our domains daily with our own money.
“Elections are here, and they have started coming, but once the elections are over, the baale becomes nothing. It is that bad, and there is hardship in the land. Many times, it is when we also have nothing that we are expected to support residents in need.”
The complaints have also extended beyond the South-West, with the Baale of Okerimioro in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Chief Olusola Gbadeyan, describing his financial experience since becoming a traditional ruler.
Gbadeyan said he had not received any salary since his installation in December 2025, despite performing traditional responsibilities, including settling disagreements among residents.
He explained that he had depended on financial assistance from relatives and other people living in Lagos to meet his needs.
A video showing the monarch questioning the payment of N3,000 monthly stipends to some village heads recently circulated on social media, attracting public reactions.
In the video, Gbadeyan expressed disappointment over the amount being paid to traditional titleholders, particularly those who had served their communities for several years.
He said, “I came from Lagos to be made a chief, and I observed that our elders who have been installed for 15–20 years are suffering. Does a chief deserve to be paid N3,000 as a stipend? It is demeaning to be collecting a N3,000 monthly stipend. What do you want the chiefs collecting a N3,000 monthly stipend to do with that?
“I was called from Lagos to become chief. I brought my mother, wives and children down to Oro, and up till now, I have not been paid anything from either the local government or the community.”
Speaking further, the Kwara traditional ruler maintained that his comments were intended to draw attention to the difficulties facing village heads rather than attack any individual or government official.
He said, “All that I said in the video is correct, and it was not to tarnish anybody’s image but to call on the appropriate authorities to make amendments.”
Meanwhile, the Osun State Government has attributed the complaints by traditional rulers to the non-release of local government allocations.
The governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, explained that traditional rulers were entitled to five per cent of monthly local government allocations, which should be distributed among the different categories of traditional institutions.
He maintained that the responsibility for paying the traditional rulers did not rest directly with the state government.
According to him, the funds were expected to pass through the traditional hierarchy, with the allocation shared among first-class monarchs, other categories of kings and Baales.
Rasheed said, “Constitutionally, traditional rulers have five per cent from the local government across the 36 states. Each of these local governments has traditional rulers in different classes, and they also have Baales under them.
“Hence, they will rationalise the five per cent allocation among themselves and share it based on their levels until it gets to the Baales.
“Therefore, the funds are not coming from the state government, and there is no way any traditional ruler can get remunerated when the five per cent allocation is not available.”
However, the Ogun State Government offered a different explanation, saying issues relating to the remuneration of Baales were the responsibility of their respective local governments.
The Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said village heads were appointed under the authority of traditional rulers overseeing their respective jurisdictions.
He advised those experiencing payment difficulties to approach their local government authorities for clarification and necessary action.
Akinmade said, “The baales are the appointees of their respective kabiyesi, who is in charge of that jurisdiction. And it is the responsibility of the local government to give them whatever is due to them.
“So, if they are having any challenge in that area, they should direct their complaints to the local government because the state government will not be expected to usurp the roles of the local governments”.
Efforts to obtain further clarification from the Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, were unsuccessful.
In Oyo State, however, the government rejected the allegations that traditional rulers were not receiving their expected payments.
The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, dismissed the claims when contacted, insisting that the situation was not as presented by the complaining monarchs.
He said, “That is far from the truth.”
The commissioner did not provide further details on the government’s position.
