By Tunde Olamilekan
Traditional rulers in Ifelodun local government area of Osun State have raised concern over the dilapidated state of the Palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun.
The traditional rulers, including Eburu of Iba, Oba (Prof.) Adekunle Okunade, Eburu of Iba, Olobaagun of Obaagun, Oba Jimoh Adebayo Olatunji, and Elende of Eko-Ende Land, Oba Abdulwaheed Babatunde Adekunle, raised the concern during an inspection tour of the palace on Thursday.
A video shared online showed the current state of the palace as bush has taken over the once lively place.
It would be recalled that Governor Ademola Adeleke in November, 2022, issued a White Paper and directed that all parties in the tussle over the Akinrun stool should await the outcome of the case before the Court of Appeal.
The state government also declared that the Akinrun stool remained vacant pending that outcome.
Speaking in the video, Oba Adekunle, the Elende of Eko-Ende, noted with displeasure the pitiable neglect that the surroundings of the palace have suffered since the late monarch, Oba Olawale, joined his ancestors in February 2021.
Oba Adekunle maintained that the palace needed to be rescued from further dilapidation.
He said, “It is disappointing that this is happening to the Palace of the Akinrun of Ikirun. This palace is the headquarters of Ifelodun traditional council and it is going to waste before our very eyes.
“We need to stand up and act. Grass has overgrown everywhere. Restores and dangerous animals have over taken the place because we disagreed among ourselves to select the right person to occupy the stool. This is what happens when we fail to cooperate among ourselves.”
The traditional rulers promised to finance and facilitate the clearing of the weeds and bushes around the palace in a week.
“We need your help to restore this palace again. Ifelodun traditional council will finance the clearing and restoration of the palace,” the monarch appealed to chiefs of the ancient town led by High Chief Adetoyese Abdulkareem, the Eesa of Ikirun land.
In his remarks, High Chief Adetoyese Abdulkareem, thanked the Ifelodun Traditional Council for their concern and efforts in making sure that the ancestral home of the ancient town is rescued from its present moribund condition.
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