Alaafin in closed-door meeting with Jonathan

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, and President Goodluck Jonathan met behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Adeyemi was accompanied to the meeting by the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide; a member representing Afijio/Oyo East/Oyo West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Kamil Akinlabi; one of his wives and some aides.

At the end of the meeting, the monarch declined comments on the purpose of his visit when approached by State House correspondents.

“This visit is a private meeting. I won’t want to talk to you on the purpose of the visit. Thank you,” he said.

But our correspondent learnt that the meeting focused on the rebuilding of a part of his palace gutted by fire last week.

The President was earlier reported to have promised to assist in the reconstruction of the burnt palace.

The Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government, Ondo State, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, conveyed the President’s message when he visited the Alaafin on Saturday.

According to him, the President, who was saddened by the incident, asked him to deliver his (President) message to Alaafin, promising to send a delegate to him and assistance towards the reconstruction of the burnt part of the palace.

No fewer than 21 rooms were destroyed in the inferno.

A source said the main purpose of the meeting was to assess how the Federal Government would be involved in the reconstruction of the palace.

He said a committee might be set up to design the strategy to be adopted in the reconstruction as well as determine the cost implication of the project.