Alaafin Calls For Fire Safety Valves In Palaces

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, on Friday in Oyo, advocated for the installation of fire safety valves in traditional rulers’ palaces to protect artifacts from destruction.The monarch made the suggestion when the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Monsurat Sumonu, led the lawmakers to sympathise with him over the Jan. 9 fire at the palace. He suggested that palace buildings should be designed to prevent fire from reaching places where artifacts and other ancient values were kept.

The traditional ruler said the fire, which was caused by electrical spark, damaged 20 rooms of his wives and Ifa oracle because the rooms were on a roll. He said the current structure of the palace was designed by his fore fathers to reflect the communal life of the Yorubas.

The Alaafin said the structure also provided for the security of the people living in the palace because of its many exit routes. He said the exits made it possible for the wives to escape when the fire started. Adeyemi said though the damaged structures would be reconstructed with modern materials, “I will want to retain the pattern as designed by my ancestors to preserve our heritage”.

Earlier, the Speaker had sympathised with the monarch and thanked God that no life was lost to the incident. Former Gov. Omololu Olunloyo and other dignitaries from the state also commisserated with the Alaafin on the incident. (NAN)