Royal poverty: Hunger hits palaces as traditional rulers lament unpaid salaries, N3,000 monthly stipends amid hardship

Traditional rulers across South-West Nigeria have lamented unpaid salaries and monthly stipends as low as N3,000, blaming inadequate government support for worsening hardship and difficulties in performing their traditional duties.

Traditional rulers across South-West Nigeria have lamented unpaid salaries and inadequate stipends, saying financial hardship has made it difficult to maintain their palaces and perform their responsibilities.

According to Saturday PUNCH, monarchs and village heads in Osun, Ogun and Oyo states complained about receiving between N3,000 and N15,000 monthly, with some reporting years of unpaid allowances.

The Oloyan of Oyan, Oba Kelani Adekeye, disclosed that traditional rulers in Osun had gone seven months without salaries.

“The kings and chiefs are starving,” he lamented.

A village head in Ede North also claimed that 31 chiefs had received no payments for over three years.

In Ogun, some baales accused politicians of abandoning them after elections despite relying on their support during campaigns.

Meanwhile, Osun Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, blamed withheld local government allocations for the situation.

However, Ogun officials maintained that remuneration was the responsibility of local governments, while Oyo authorities dismissed the allegations as untrue.

Traditional rulers across South-West Nigeria have lamented unpaid salaries and monthly stipends as low as N3,000, blaming inadequate government support for worsening hardship and difficulties in performing their traditional duties.