Baales in Ogun State have voiced their grievances, accusing the traditional councils in the state of withholding their monthly stipends despite regular releases by Governor Abiodun. 

Frustration has been mounting among these leaders as they claim that while the governor has been making timely payments, they are not receiving their rightful entitlements.

There are four traditional councils in the state- Egba Tradition Council, Yewa Tradition Council, Ijebu Tradition Council and Remo Traditional Council. 

Narrating their ordeal, while speaking to journalists in Abeokuta, the state capital yesterday, President of The Ogun State Councils of Baales,  Tunji Falola, debunked rumor that Governor Dapo Abiodun has not been paying the 1,600 registered Baales in the state as promised. 

He recalled that the governor began the release of N16 million monthly stipend for all the registered Baales in the three Senatorial Districts in January 2023 after the council appealed for it. 

Making further revelation, the President disclosed that the Remo Traditional Council started paying its Baales upon receiving the first payment but other traditional councils - Egba, Yewa and Ijebu didn't pay.

Although, he stated , Ijebu and Yewa later paid for two months but stopped, Egaba hadn't paid at all. 

 Falola lamented that the traditional leaders later discovered that the state government had been releasing their monthly stipends regularly up till the month of October to the traditional councils but no payment had been made to the Baales.

His words “February this year, the Commission for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs called me and said the governor has released N16 million for our stipends, this is because we have 1,600 Baales in Ogun state so that is N10,000 for each person and we jubilated.

“But I was surprised when Remo Traditional Council started paying its baales immediately they received the money, Egba did not pay, Yewa did not pay, and Ijebu too didn't pay but later Ijebu also started paying some selected Baales, I also learnt Yewa did the same for two months but up till today, Egba didn't pay. 

“The commissioner showed me proof of the payment and I saw that for the month of March, N16 million was paid, April, N16 million was paid, May , June , July, August, October the governor paid N16 million each, yet, we registered Baales didn't receive it. That is where we are today.

He said several appeals have been made in times of correspondence to the governor about the monthly allowance but not reaching him.

My name is Baale Tunji Falola, the Baale of Oke-Yidi Lantoro Abeokuta. I'm the Chairman of all Baales in Abeokuta South and the President of all Baales in Ogun state.Since the creation of the state in 1976, governor's Abiodun happens to be the most friendly governor to Baales in Ogun state. Far back before 2022, we Baales have been agitating that government should be paying us certain allowances. 

Many of us have no other job aside being Baale and besides that, there are a few Baales in the state who were either bricklayers, drivers and even farmers so by the time they were appointed as Baales, the ego came on them that they now find it difficult to now work as taxi driver or the farmer they used to be and that brings us to the main issue that many Baales have no income.

Then came December 15 last year, we had our oko’ilu day, it is a congress of all Baales in Ogun state. In my opening address at that occasion, we requested four things from the state government. 

One, we asked the governor to sponsor that occasion, that  governor should be able to give us money to cover our expenses, we also asked for one bus, we also asked for a Secretariat and the fourth one was stipends. The governor was so enthusiastic and instead of giving us one bus he said he would give us four and for the stipend, he said he would start paying us at least 10,000 monthly. Before the governor left the event, he gave us 10 million naira for the event. 

“””In February this year, he called me to see him and on getting there, he said the governor has released 16 million our salaries, this is because we have 1,600 Baales in Ogun state so that is N10,000 for each person.

 “””We jubilated. But the Commission said immediately that they had divided the money into four, there are four traditional councils, Egba, Ijebu, Yewa and Remo traditional councils but baale are not equal in the state traditional councils. As at today, we have in Egba Traditional Council, 784 registered Baales, in Remo, we have 149 Baales, in Yewa, 415, and 348 in Ijebu so I was surprised when Remo Traditional Council started paying its baales immediately they received the money, Egba did not pay, Yewa did not pay, and Ijebu too didn't pay but later Ijebu also started paying some selected Baales, I also learnt Yewa did the same for two months but up till today, Egba didn't pay. We went to the commissioner and complained but said I should write a letter and tell the governor. But two weeks ago, the case became more serious because I was at the ministry and the commissioner made know that the government is still paying the money but I told him that I am not aware. The commissioner showed me proof of the payment and I saw that for the month of March, 16 million was paid, April, 16 million was paid, May , June , July, August, October the governor paid 16 million each, yet, we registered Baales didn't receive it. That is where we are today.

Government does not appoint baale’s 

It’s the traditional rulers that appoints them they must be respected 

Several appeals have been made in times of correspondence , also several letters has been written to the governor about the monthly allowance not reaching them The Egbe Traditional council lament….

Also the low increments given to the Egba Baale’s

The spokenman laments about the distribution of funds not reaching the Egbe baale’s

He further said he will be glad if the media steps in to help them to publish it to appeal to the state government about the money not been disbursed to them