For example, in Yoruba land we have Obas(Kings). I don't know how beneficial they have been to we the masses. I don't want to say most are just figure heads doing nothing other than collecting salary from government.

They are as important as leeches. Talk about "Land grabbing", and nothing else.

Naturally, they're the custodian of the culture and traditions of their people. They're are supposed to be the traditional equivalent of State House of Rep, Local Government Chairman or even Councillors...some as well serving as the traditional Magistrates.

They're supposed to be the figure head through whom government liaises with when formulating or implementing policies that may have cultural impact on the people so as to ensure easy dissemination and adherence.

But you know how Nigeria is, most of them have been reduced to primary school headmasters and toothless as some councillors and LGA Chairmen today with little or no direct impact on government or their people they're supposed to lord over.

Some of them have become bored and clueless so they have taken to being controversial or Instagram celebrities.

But eh... Some of them still have a strong hold on what Kingship is about o. I'll speak for my State, The Great Obas of Benin Kingdom.
Oba gha to kpere, Ise.

Where the King is truly king.

Ayo001:
For example, in Yoruba land we have Obas(Kings). I don't know how beneficial they have been to we the masses..

they are largely ceremonial functionaries. The only monarchs I know that still retain any iota of power are the Emirs.

Many if not all the kings around Africa are illegitimate, they were imposed on each tribe by the colonialists to protect them from revolts inexchange for control of the land they mostly claim as their own. This is why today,in most African countries the so called kings are just figureheads with no power.

They are just irrelevant remnants of indirect rule of british colonization,they serve no progressive purpose aside wasting government fundings and backing corrupt government,many of them are just face value for a facade of a long gone past,you see them bask in wealth surrounded by a society of poverty,when china celebrates their cultural revolution,japan their meji's restoration,you see Nigerians cerebrating monarchs who serve no progressive purpose in the development of this country from the emir of kano,ooni of ife down to oba of benin
They don't even protect the so called culture they are meant to protect,Ethiopia has no monarch but their culture is alive.