#EndSARS: Protesters stole $2m, N17m from my palace ― Oba Akiolu

Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on Thursday gave an account of his loss during the #EndSARS protest which was hijacked by hoodlums in October last year, disclosing that the hoodlums who invaded his palace, carting away his staff of office also stole a sum of $2 million and N17 million belonging to him.

The monarch made this known while speaking at the official handing over of the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall, Customs Street, Lagos Island by the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The remodelled Glover Memorial Hall was also touched during the protest.

Oba Akiolu told the gathering that he was making it known publicly for the first time that #EndSARS protesters stole $2 million and N17 million in his palace.

Governor, Sanwo-Olu said the completion and formal commissioning of the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall reflected government’s determination to rebuild Lagos, revamp historic/public assets and also develop the Entertainment, Creative, and Tourism Sector, which is one of the pillars of the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.

The said his administration was mindful of the fact that the tourism and entertainment sector was an integral part of socio-economic development, and the overall wellbeing of the citizens and the need not why his administration would not neglect it in its drive to make Lagos a megacity.

Sanwo-Olu said although, the coronavirus pandemic and the mindless destruction which followed the #EndSARS protests had a shattering impact on the economy, the spirit of Lagosians full of resilience, courage was there to overcome challenges and other vicissitudes.

“We are Lagosians with the resilience, tenacity, strength and courage needed to overcome challenges and other vicissitudes. We are consolidating the gains of the past and charting fresh development trajectories for the future, with our focus on socio-economic gains that will outlive this administration,” he said.

The governor said it was in line with this that the state government was providing the needed support for the entertainment and tourism sector to recover from the pandemic even as it provided the institutional framework for creative practitioners to excel and prosper.

“Today’s event signals a gradual return of activities within the tourism and entertainment sector. It is a boost for our creative practitioners and entertainers as well as the necessary catalyst for economic growth because if we properly harness our human and capital resources, tourism and entertainment will become major contributors to socio-economic growth and development.

“One of the ways in which we have been engendering economic growth is by channeling resources to productive sectors like the entertainment and tourism industry. We have, therefore, initiated several deliberate efforts and interventions to ensure that our creative practitioners are able to find their feet in the Post COVID-19 era.

“We have disbursed N1 billion to practitioners in the tourism, hospitality and entertainment sector as a financial stimulus to get the sector moving again and to overcome the challenges caused by the pandemic,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

He assured that the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall would not only boost activities in the entertainment and creative sector, but would also restore the glorious days when it served as a relaxation point for Lagosians, including those who live and work on the Island.

According to him, “It is a testament to a splendid past and an indicator of a more glorious future in which Lagosians have the jobs and opportunities that they require to flourish. On our part, we will not relent in fostering collaborative investments for the advancement of our shared prosperity,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also inspected the J.K Randle Park, assuring that the park would soon be turned to a world-class Museum Center.

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