Excitement as Lagos community gets new palace

In what appeared much-awaited, residents, indigenes and well-wishers of Odo-Ayandelu, Ikosi-Ejinrin, in Lagos State, are glad to get a new palace for their traditional ruler, His Royal Majesty, Oba G. Aderibigbe Asunmo, Jamade 1, paramount ruler of Odo-Ayandelu  Kingdom.

For many years, the community could not boast of a befitting palace for their traditional ruler. However, things took a most celebratory note when the various ruling houses, individuals and government contributed to the realisation of a new palace.

While speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, an elated Oba Asunmo stated that it had been a long road to this final realisation. According to him, “We want to give glory to God and to our forefathers, especially the former king of Ayandelu. About 28 years ago, the community came together to build a befitting palace for the community. Because of this, they started searching for a land. Unfortunately, all the lands that they saw were located on the outskirts of the town. My late father, Alhaji Asunmo Balogun, the former Chief Imam of the community’s central mosque, rose to the challenge by helping the community. He donated his land, owned by his forefathers to the community. That land was located at the middle of the town. This was in addition to that of one of our late mothers, Mate Ifesanya, who built her house close to the land owned by my forefathers. She also donated that land upon which the house was built.  That was how they started the project in 1992. So, the community built the palace to window level (about five coaches). Unfortunately, there was no fund to complete the project. It was therefore abandoned for 28 years.

“Late last year, I took upon myself. I started the project by raising the building to lintel level. I introduced beams; but we stopped the project there because there was no fund to continue. I travelled to the United Kingdom last year. There, I addressed indigenes of my community. I got a donation of N500,000. When I got back home, I told my people. Where I am using at the moment as palace is my personal house. The state government of Lagos gave me N5 million to renovate where I am living. I decided to call the community and I presented the cheque. I told them that it was given to me by the governor to renovate my house. I told the community and the Ayandelu-in-council that I was donating the money towards the completion of the palace project that was started years ago. I decided to give it to my community. One of my friends took over the roofing. He contributed towards the completion of the palace. We thank God that today we have been able to complete the building of the palace at the cost of over N16 million.

“Aside from the palace, we have embarked on several projects which have improved the development of the community. Also, the government has been helpful in this regard. We have built a corpers’ lodge for members of the NYSC. We built a school and also carried out renovation works.

“We have a housing estate here built by the Lagos State government here that will be commissioned very soon. Also, the NYSC permanent camp will be relocated from Iyana-Ipaja to my community. The surveyor-general has sent his boys to mark out the area. Part of the land has been developed and we are pleading with the government to put that into consideration. The present government is a listening one.”

Oba Asunmo while listing the donors and their contributions thanked all for their efforts towards the completion of the palace building. According to him, the list of donors include “My ruling house which is Jamade ruling house, N5, 778,000; Luyalo ruling house, N3,025,750; Adekomaya ruling house, N 800,000; Orediyan ruling house, N100,000; my friends both home and abroad, N3,629,500; Odo Ayandelu community land proxy from Shitta and others, N3,050,000; and Ikosi Ejinrin LCDA, N500,000.”

 

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