Where is the large sum of money Governor Dapo Abiodun gave early this year to village chiefs known as Baale and reckoned as Part lll chiefs in the hierarchical lineups of traditional leaders in Ogun State?
This puzzle is what is now agitating not only the minds of many who were privy to the release of the money, but also the Baale who were supposed to be the beneficiaries but till this moment, had benefited nothing.
According to information unearthed by THE STATEPOST, the money was paid by the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs, February, this year, through the four traditional councils in the state i.e Egba, Ijebu, Remo and Yewa.
The four traditional councils were specifically informed that the money was for remuneration of chiefs (Baale) in their respective domains.
It was also divided equally from source among these traditional councils into four million Naira (N4m) each.
The money was meant to be paid to the beneficiaries in tranches of ten thousand Naira (N10,000) per Baale to meet their long time agitation for monthly stipend which they claimed they were entitled to as a result of administering the villages and areas on behalf of their principals, the Oba and the State Government.
The Governor's largesse was promised to these Part lll chiefs at the celebration of last year's Oko Ilu Day, an erstwhile annual event designed to showcase the Baale as an integral part of the local administration but which had now been turned to a four yearly event.
The money came in the wake of Governor Abiodun's plea for reelection hence, was promptly paid by February through the four Traditional Councils in the state.
The governor was said to have insisted on paying through the four Paramount Oba since they are the appointing agents of the Baale and not the State Government, as well as the fact that they know their chiefs one by one.
However, THE STATEPOST investigation also revealed that the only traditional council that complied accordingly by promptly remunerating the Baale in its domain is Remo Traditional Council which paid all its 147 Baale, Fifteen Thousand Naira (N15,000) each for the two months of February and March, this year.
The three other councils did not acknowledge receipt of the largesse to the Baale nor pay the beneficiaries as expected by the State Government.
To register their displeasure at this delay of their entitlement, our investigation further discovered that the Council of Baale had made overtures to the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs severally to complain that its council or its members have not received any dole from the government.
But all their complaints so far have yielded no response from the ministry since government seemed to have washed its hand off the matter, having done the needful and it is now noted in its book that it had already paid out the money.
In a telephone conversation with the Ogun State Chairman of the Council of Baale, Baale Tunji Falola confirmed to THE STATEPOST that it is on record that Governor Abiodun truly released the money promised "us during the celebration of the Oko Ilu Day in December, last year but that is all I can say about the money. I have not seen nor received any money either".
But Baale Falola, maybe infuriated by it all, declined further interrogations from our correspondent as he insisted that he has nothing to say further on the matter.
All efforts to get the state Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs to officially respond on this matter failed while the traditional councils of Egba, Ijebu and Yewa too maintained sealed lips.
Meanwhile, the failure of the appropriated money to reach its intended destination may have put paid to the agitations of Baale, Part lll chiefs in Ogun State to earn monthly stipends to meet their administrative expenses in the course of running the villages and areas on behalf of their Oba as the State Government is no longer saying anything again on any other remuneration in the future.
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