The President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Prince Yemisi Adeaga, has said the multibillion Naira Olubadan modern official palace will be ready before the end of the year.
He gave the assurance yesterday when he led members of his executive to pay homage to the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.
The visit was part of the ongoing Ibadan Week Festival, which began on Sunday with a service at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, Aremo, Ibadan.
Radiating joy and confidence, Adeaga said what could serve as encumbrance had been taken care of by the Almighty God, noting that just as the hindrance was being resolved, an unexpected fund from the Federal Government for palace projects across the country came, which was very handy.
He said there was indication that the first phase would be completed before the end of this year.
Oba Balogun had announced shortly after his name was announced as the 42nd Olubadan by the state government that he might be the first Olubadan to occupy the new palace.
Adeaga sought the monarch’s support in approving a committee to be set up by the CCII to monitor the usage of the funds, noting that it would generate additional fund to complete the first phase and also begin work on the next phase of the project.
Adeaga, who described the palace project as an ongoing one, said it was a project that would involve everybody. He added: “With our population in Ibadan, said to be four million, according to the last population census, if just one million people out of the four million are captured as eligible to a thousand Naira each, a billion Naira will be raised and that will do something.”