Real cause of the fire outbreak at a section of the palace of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu has been revealed.
He said, “The fire started around 1.30pm. The fire service arrived 1.50pm. Except the emergency officials, nobody was allowed to enter. The gate was shut. A lot of policemen were on the ground. “The fire started from one of the air conditioners in the palace. I learnt the kabiyesi (Akiolu) was inside the palace when the incident happened.”
He said the palace gate was, however, shut to the crowd as firefighters from the Lagos State Fire Service, Sari Iganmu and Ilupeju stations, battled with the fire. It was eventually quenched around 3.30pm. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, who confirmed the incident, said that the situation had been brought under control.
He said, “The state and federal fire services, Julius Berger and United Bank for Africa fire services, as well as LASEMA, were on the ground. They put out the fire around 3.30pm. No life was lost. The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, and other senior officers were also at the scene. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.”
The incident came barely one week after the Oba publicly shunned the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi. There were claims by a certain Tunde Awoyeni that the palace would invoke the wrath of his ancestors on the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
Oba Ogunwusi in his reaction denied planning to curse Oba Akiolu. Meanwhile, Nigerians are claiming that the fire incident was as a result of him snubbing the Ooni of Ife in the public almost a week ago.
