Jonathan To Help Rebuild Alaafin’s Palace

Following the recent fire which gutted the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has promised to help in rebuilding the burnt area of the palace.

President Jonathan’s pledge was conveyed by Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, Okoro Ajiga 1, during a sympathy visit to the Oyo monarch at the weekend.

The Ugbo monarch, who led other Obas and his chiefs to the ancient Oyo town, disclosed that the President, who expressed sadness over the incident, specifically asked him to deliver his message to Alaafin, with a promise that he (President) would still send a delegate to him to deliver his letter of sympathy as well as the necessary assistance towards the reconstruction of the burnt area of the palace.

Oba Akinruntan, who was later conducted round the razed apartments by Alaafin, described the incident as a disaster, not only to the Alaafin and the people of Oyo, but to the entire Yoruba people.

He called for concerted efforts by every well-meaning sons and daughters of Yorubaland to rise to the challenge of making the palace the pride of place for all.

Responding, Alaafin was full of praise for Oba Akinruntan, whose ancestors he traced to be the first original settlers of the ancient Ife town.

Oba Adeyemi also commended Olugbo for his untiring efforts to ensure that Yoruba Obas live in unity and oneness through the conflict resolution committee being chaired by him.

Alaafin however maintained that there had never been a time in the history of Yoruba that Oyo was under any other town in Yorubaland and this had also informed his position, which to some people made him controversial.

Source: Legit.ng