By Correspondent in Kabba.
To avoid the break down of law and order, the Ilajo Royal family of Kabba has called on Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to allow the full determination of the Obaro chieftaincy suit, pending in the law court, before proceeding to build another palace in the town
The Ilajo Royal family during a press briefing held on Tuesday at the Aoffin palace kabba said the palace had been existing since over 200 years, adding that it had housed more than 15 different Obaros and wondered why a new palace would be built at “this point in time when litigation over the Obaro tussle is still pending in court.”
Addressing newsmen, the spokesman of the family and Secretary, Ilajo Planning Committee, High Chief Peter Oloba, said the family was surprised when the current Obaro of kabba, Oba Dele Owoniyyi, on the occasion of Kabba cultural day celebration, said there was no existing palace in the town, saying it was a calculated attempt to distort the historical facts of the ancient town.
The spokesman while conducting newsmen round the tombs of over 15 Obaros who reigned, died and buried within the palace and showing their paraphernalia of office, said it was an aberation to say that kabba has no palace.
Going memory lane, he recalled that the first Governor- general of Nigeria, Lord Fredrick Lugard and some past Nigerian leaders like General Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and vice president Yemi Osibanjob had visited the palace at different times.
Oloba said:”We see this distortion as a deliberate act of causing confusion and as usual, a way of distorting the historical facts, age long tradition and culture of Oweland by insinuating that there is no palace in Kabba.
“We hereby set the records straight, and wish to state categorically without equivocation, that Kabba Town has always had a Palace, a significant paraphernalia of Royalty and the centre point of Owe culture and tradition. And this is the palace of Obaros of kabba”, he added
“This plan, if implemented now, is capable of generating avoidable tension and can therefore put law and order into jeopardy, “he added.
