Monarch plans N25bn mega city, refinery in Ondo

Oba Obateru Akinruntan
| credits: aba-ng.org

The Olugbo of Ugboland in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, on Sunday, unfolded plans to construct a N25bn Mega Royal City in his kingdom.

The monarch, who is also the Chairman of Obat Oil and Petroleum, stated this after a thanksgiving to mark his third anniversary on the throne at Ode-Ugbo.

Akinruntan said his N1.5bn palace under cnstruction, with 14 royal rooms, a courtyard and seven royal sitting rooms among other facilities constructed on two acres of land, will be completed in January.

He, however, said the cost would increase by the time all the necessary accessories needed to furnish the palace would be installed.

The monarch, who said about 140 hectares of land had already been reclaimed for the city, added that additional 250 hectares would be reclaimed for the project.

He said, “Our palace which is under construction now and our proposed mega royal city which is currently on the drawing board, will be the first of its kind in Africa.

“The palace will be completed and fully equipped by the end of 2013. Some items will be imported from Dubai, Italy and other countries and this may take time before they arrive.

“We are spending N25bn in three phases. The first phase will cost N10bn; the second phase N10bn; while N5bn will be spent in the third phase.

“The Mega City Project is my idea but I am partnering with foreign investors, the state government and other relevant agencies of government to make it a reality.

“We will have a refinery, a university, and a technology school because here in Ilaje, we have secondary schools but with ill-equipped laboratories.

“Most of our people are teachers. We will build state-of-the-art schools – primary – secondary and tertiary institutions – so that our people will enjoy the best things of life.

“Already some of our children in the various schools across the country and overseas are enjoying scholarships which we instituted and this will also continue.”