Ondo monarch hails youth minister over palace facelift

FILE: The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande

‎‎The Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has called on the sons and daughters of the town to contribute to its development, as he commended the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande,  for his intervention in the beautification and redesign of the Deji’s palace and entrance.
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‎The monarch stated this at the inauguration of the redesigned palace and its entrance, which came up as part of the activities marking the 2026 annual Ulefunta Traditional Festival, on Saturday.
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‎Oba Aladelusi described the project as a significant gesture towards preserving the cultural heritage of Akure Kingdom and giving the historic palace an outlook befitting its status.
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‎He said the intervention, undertaken by the minister, who is an indigene of the community, with the support of the 10th Anniversary Coronation Committee, was part of ongoing efforts to renovate and beautify the palace.
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‎According to him, the minister’s intervention would go beyond the beautification of the entrance, as it would help project the palace and its heritage to residents, visitors and younger generations.

He noted that the initiative demonstrated how individuals and public officials could contribute to their communities not only through government programmes, but also by supporting projects that preserve history, culture and identity.

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‎The minister said he considered it important to contribute to the project because the palace had served generations of traditional rulers and remained central to the cultural life of Akure.
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‎The monarch said, “I want to express my appreciation to the Minister for Youth Development, Ayo Olawande, for identifying with our traditional institution and supporting a project that has enhanced the appearance of one of Akure’s important landmarks.
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‎”I want to use this opportunity to appeal to other Akure indigenes, public officials and corporate organisations to support initiatives aimed at preserving Akure’s historical and cultural assets.”
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‎The monarch emphasised that preserving the palace should be regarded as a collective responsibility, particularly as urban development continues to reshape the Ondo capital city.

He expressed optimism that the beautification project would stimulate further interventions to preserve other sections of the palace and promote Akure’s cultural heritage.
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‎Olawade said his decision to carry out the project was informed by the historical and cultural importance of the palace to the people of Akure, noting that the palace was not merely the residence of the monarch but a living symbol of the history, traditions and identity of the Akure people.
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‎He said, “I believe that the Deji’s Palace is not just a building; it is a symbol of who we are as Akure people. It carries our history, our culture and the story of generations before us.
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‎“I deemed it necessary to renovate and redesign the palace because we cannot continue to talk about preserving our heritage while allowing important symbols of that heritage to deteriorate. This intervention is my own contribution to preserving the history of Akure for the younger generation. They must be able to see, appreciate and connect with the heritage that belongs to them.
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‎“The redesign is not about changing the identity of the palace. It is about giving this historic institution an environment that reflects its importance while retaining its cultural character.”

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