Olori Muyibat Oyefusi, widow of the late Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Salaudeen Afolabi Oyefusi who reigned in Ikorodu between 1973-2014 has urged the Lagos State government to take over the palatial mansion of the late monarch, named Royal Castle of Mercy.
She said this was in fulfillment of the promise of the late monarch to donate the property for public use upon his demise. The monarch’s widow disclosed this at a press briefing to herald the annual memorial lecture in honour of the late monarch.
Nation Online reports that, Oba Oyefusi promised the government before his death to lease the building to the government for the purpose of turning it into a library, museum and cinema for the use of the good people of Ikorodu because Ikorodu currently lack any of these facilities.
According to Olori Oyefusi, ‘during the regime of Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my late husband visited the governor, asking him to take over His Royal Castle of Mercy and turn it into a library, museum and cinema after his death, for the benefit of his people because, the community currently lacks these facilities. He repeated the visit during the administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’.
Olori Oyefusi is however worried that, years after the passage of the monarch, nothing has been done by the Lagos State government concerning her husband’s intent to have this castle turned to his wish.
Chairman the planning committee of the memorial lecture slated for next Saturday, Otunba Rafiu Adewale said the essence of the lecture was to uphold the legacy of the late Oba Oyefusi and sustain his immense contribution towards the development of Ikorodu.
Governors of Lagos, Ogun and Osun states are among the guests that will grace the lecture to be hosted at the Ikorodu Musical Village. The lecture will be delivered by a Professor of Linguistics, African Language of the University of Lagos, Prof Oladele Caleb Orimogunje.
