Oyo State Governor Engr Seyi Makinde has assured that the 11 Local Governments Areas in Ibadanland would be saddled with the responsibility of ensuring constant maintenance of the newly built Olubadan Palace at Oke Aremo, for the benefit of the people.
The governor gave the assurance during the commissioning of the ultra modern edifice held on Wednesday.
Governor Makinde who expressed joy on the successful completion of the palace singled out the contributions of the former governor of the state, Late Abiola Ajimobi and Chief Bayo Oyero on the project, pledging that the state would renovate and explore the tourism potentials of the neighboring Bower’s Tower in Oke-Are for the Palace.
While presenting the speech of Olubadan in Council, the Olubadan designate Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, represented by Oba Lateef Adebimpe, said that the people of Ibadan will always be grateful to God on the successful story of the palace as he also assured that when the whole project is completed it will compete with the Buckingham palace in England.
Earlier in his address, the President General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Chief Sulaiman Ajewole, appreciated the financial and moral support the association received from the state governor Engineer Seyi, noting that the completion of the historic Palace has finally put a stop to the embarrassing mockery of Ibadanland by outsiders that the city with its uniqueness does not have a palace of its own.
