According to News report from Punch, The Kwara State Government is investigating the non-payment of salaries and emoluments to Oba Abdulkadir Adebara, the Oba of Jebba, in Moro Local Government Area, for the past 21 years.

This was disclosed by the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Bata, on Monday.

Successive governments since 2003 have failed to pay the salaries of the 103-year-old monarch, who has spent over 21 years on the throne, despite a state High Court judgment ordering the upgrade and payment of the monarch’s salaries.

Bata addressed the issue during a ministerial briefing on the achievements of Governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in his first year of the second term in office. He explained that the non-payment of the monarch’s salary is a long-standing issue.

The Commissioner provided these details while responding to questions from reporters in Ilorin.

Bata said, “The issue of payment to salaried Oba of Jebba is a long-standing problem that this administration inherited. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is well aware of the problem. This ministry is also aware.

“A lot of report has been written to us and I want to assure that the governor has directed to investigate the issue to know the problem so that a lasting solution to the issue is found. By the grace of God we are on top of it and we will find a lasting solution to it.”

Bata stressed that the government had made available a quantum of funds to pay some ungraded chiefs in the state, adding that no fewer than 500 chiefs in both Kwara Central and Kwara North Senatorial zones were identified and paid their emoluments in the last month.

He said that about 150 chiefs were identified in Kaiama Emirate while equal numbers were identified in the three Emirates in Edu local government as well as one Emirate in Patigi local government.

He said that many classrooms were built by the local government administration in the 16 local government areas of the state.