President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday telephoned the Oba of Lagos, Dr Rilwan Akiolu, to convey his best wishes on his 77th birthday and also, once again, condoled him on the invasion of his palace.
Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
”The President recalled his long association and friendship with the Oba and appreciated the personal role that the latter has played in nurturing the peace and development of Lagos state and nation as a whole,” Shehu said.
In the wake of the ENDSARS protests in Lagos, hoodlums invaded the palace.
Traditional instruments of office, artefacts and valuables, including the Oba’s shoes, were carted away by the invaders.
Some of the stolen items, including the Oba’s traditional instruments of office, have been recovered from the hoodlums.
All necessary rituals for the return of the traditional ruler to his palace, located at Iga Idugaran, Lagos Island, have been completed.
The ancient palace, the official residence of the Oba of Lagos, was originally built in 1670 and has remained a historical monument and a cultural rallying point for Lagosians.