Traditional rulers in Osun State have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the prolonged stalemate over withheld local government allocations, warning that the paralysis has crippled governance and community life across the state.
Meeting at the Ooni’s Palace in Ile-Ife under the chairmanship of the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the monarchs lamented that months of frozen funds had left local councils unable to function and had undermined grassroots development.
The communiqué, read by the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Aroyinkeye I, explained that the traditional institution and communities across the 30 local government areas and the area office had been severely affected by the impasse. The rulers noted that traditional institutions nationwide are sustained by five per cent deductions from local government allocations, without which their ability to serve their communities has been gravely weakened.
“It amazes us daily to see secretariats suddenly inactive because allocations meant for their smooth running have been withheld for several months, over issues that have nothing to do with the common people currently bearing the brunt. Our markets, community roads and other responsibilities of the local government are suffering badly, and we as traditional rulers cannot pretend not to see this decay,” the statement read.
The monarchs stressed that as natural leaders and the closest to the people, they play indispensable roles in nation-building, human development, and community engagement.
They appealed directly to the President: “We call on Mr President to intervene as father of the nation. We will be glad if he can hear the cries of ordinary community dwellers across our farmlands and villages, who are suffering from the total shutdown of local government activities for months.”
They added that unlocking the funds would not only bring relief to Osun communities but also re-energise the traditional institution to contribute to the federal government’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The monarchs expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s ability to resolve the blockade, recalling his earlier commitment to assigning constitutional roles to traditional rulers in fostering rural development and civic engagement.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to mount over the dispute. The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has accused the Attorney-General of the Federation of attempting to divert the ongoing case to a vacation court in Abuja, raising fears of a backdoor ruling in favour of sacked All Progressives Congress council chairmen whose elections were annulled by competent courts.
Osun NULGE president, Mr Nathaniel Ogungbangbe, told journalists that the Attorney-General had already been served with processes since 16 May 2025 and warned against efforts to “ambush justice.”
He maintained that the disputed funds belong to the people of Osun State and insisted that only due process should determine their disbursement.
The union urged the judiciary to resist pressure and allow the matter to run its proper course, while monarchs pressed the Presidency to break the deadlock that has paralysed local government administration for months.
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