The Asiwaju of Ijesalnd, Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi is no doubt, a top shot and household name in Ijesaland and beyond, who was on October 22, 2016 installed alongside his wife Dr. Olubisi Fasuyi as Yeye Asiwaju, however, the task of constructing a more beffitting palace for Owa Obokun became one his responsiblity.
Penpushing reports that shortly after the installation, the then Owa Obokun Adimula, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, now late gave him him the task, which is what is better described as a royal challenge, however, the task came against the background of previous unsuccessful attempts to replace the Palace destroyed by fire.
The Asiwaju confessed that he did not initially take the assignment seriously—not because he disagreed with the need for a modern Palace, but because the responsibility appeared too great to place on one person’s shoulders, however, he changed his mind as a true ijesaman and saw the project as a must
Penpushing further reports the visit of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to the Owa Obokun in February 2017, when Fasuyi had the opportunity to usher the royal visitor into the palace, encouraged him to kick start the needful of getting a beffitting palace for the paramount ruler of Ijesaland
This was when the reception for Ooni of Ife had to be moved into a makeshift canopy beside the Palace, the significance of the Owa’s earlier charge suddenly became clearer to Fasuyi, and in similar vein during the prelude to the 2019 national elections, a team led by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, visited the palace.
Penpushing also reports that the two experiences became the turning point, following the fact that Ijesaland—a people widely known for their education, enterprise, sophistication and cosmopolitan outlook—yet the physical infrastructure of the palace did not appear to match that image.
The Asiwaju, thereafter, was convinced that royal charge no longer sounded like an impossible assignment, and became a community responsibility, and on December 14, 2019, Fasuyi returned to the Owa with the idea of a new Palace.
Penpushing reports that Fasuyi after obtaining the first class traditional ruler consent, began reaching out—not to a government, not to a single wealthy individual, but to Ijesas, whih include eminent Ijesa sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora.
The Asiwaju explained to them the need for a new palace and encouraged them to join hands in making it happen, however, the responses were positive and that gave him the confidence to forge ahead, hence, a maiden meeting was held at his private residence in Ilesa on December 15, 2019.
Penpushing further reports that meeting paved way for the Project Management Team that would eventually drive the project to completion, however, there was something else happening behind the scenes, and before the first block was laid, the architecture of accountability was already being designed.
The proposed project was to have clear financial targets, professional consultants, competitive tendering, defined payment procedures, monitoring mechanisms and regular reporting to stakeholders, while professionals were to contribute their expertise pro bono, and an independent Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee would provide checks and balances on the Project Management Team.
Penpushing reports that the intepretation was that the palace was being designed twice: first on paper, and then on the site, while the concept was to mobilise Ijesaland around a common heritage, ensuring that the resources entrusted to the project were professionally managed and transparently accounted for.
The question was no longer whether Ijesaland needed a befitting palace at that stage, but the question was whether Ijesas could collectively turn the idea into reality—and do so within a clear timeline, under professional supervision and with the confidence of those whose resources would fund it.
Penpushing further reports that Fasuyi became more proactive and placed himself at the centre of the mobilisation, personally engaging stakeholders and demonstrating commitment to the cause, and from December 14, 2019, he reached out to about 100 eminent Ijesa sons and daughters in Nigeria and the diaspora, convincing them individually to join the project.
The eventual participation of 102 Ijesas gave the initiative a broad community base and this was the first major test of leadership, however, among the five major milestones highlighted in the 10-year development stewardship of Fasuyi is the successful mobilisation of Ijesas to construct an ultra-modern palace for the Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland.
Penpushing also reports that the project was not simply about constructing a building, but it was about reviving a long-standing community aspiration, restoring confidence after three unsuccessful attempts and demonstrating what could be achieved when Ijesas were mobilised around a common purpose.
The palace project became an early demonstration of the five principles that run through Fasuyi’s decade of service: leadership by example, vision, integrity, transparency and accountability, however, record has it that the story of the new Owa’s Palace did not begin with Fasuyi.
Penpushing reports that following the devastating fire of 2008, which destroyed the former palace, three attempts had already been made to reconstruct a befitting palace, but none succeeded, and the repeated failures created doubts about whether another attempt could deliver the desired result.
The challenge was even more daunting because the earlier efforts had involved individuals who were widely regarded at the time as prominent and well positioned to undertake such a major community project, and it was against this background that the fourth attempt became a defining moment in the long-running search for a new palace.
Penpushing further reports that it is on record that Fasuyi involvement changed the character of the mobilisation, aside from appeling for support from his kinsmen he personally committed himself to the project and demonstrated financial involvement.
The Asiwaju’s approach was to make stakeholders see the palace not as the private responsibility of an individual, organisation or group, but as a collective heritage project belonging to Ijesaland, while the mobilisation cut across traditional rulers, chiefs, professionals, artisans, market women, students and Ijesas in the diaspora.
Penpushing also reports that a compendium showed that, 102 Ijesa men and women eventually supported the palace project, and this broad participation was particularly significant because the project had to overcome not only the practical challenges of construction and financing, but as well as the disappointment and doubts generated by three previous unsuccessful attempts.
The Asiwaju rather than relying primarily on a conventional formal project launch, embarked on an extensive and demanding campaign of direct engagement, and include telephone calls, WhatsApp communications, virtual meetings and personal appeals became important tools in reaching stakeholders.
Penpushing reports that it was a laborious and time-consuming approach, but it enabled the project champion to take the message directly to individuals and groups whose support was required, and the objective was simple: convince Ijesas that the palace could become a reality if the responsibility was collectively embraced.
The vision went beyond putting up a new building, it shaped the structure of the project, as professional expertise was deliberately brought into the process through a Project Management Team and a Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee.
Penpushing further reports that the compedium disclosed that six professionals covering architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and quantity surveying provided their services pro bono
The compendium added that their involvement placed professional standards at the centre of the design, construction, monitoring and evaluation of the project, while also helping to reduce costs, as the palace was treated as a collective Ijesa heritage project.
Penpushing also reports that the emphasis on professional input, community participation and structured management was intended to ensure that the project remained focused on its stated purpose, and rather than allowing the huge community mobilisation to become an informal exercise, systems were put in place to guide how the project would be executed.
This reflected the principle of integrity: keeping the project centred on the collective objective for which contributions were mobilised, while the project also incorporated mechanisms intended to promote transparency and accountability.
Penpushing reports that tendering and contractor selection were subjected to professional processes, while project monitoring and financial disbursements were similarly structured around oversight, with payments to the contractor linked to certified stages of work, while the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Committee provided an additional layer of checks and balances.
The intention was clear: funds raised for the Palace should be applied to the purpose for which they were raised, with expenditure corresponding to measurable progress on the project, which was eventually completed in nine months, despite being undertaken during the coronavirus period.
Penpushing further reports that the palace was commissioned on December 26, 2020, which brought an end to a reconstruction effort that had remained unresolved since the 2008 fire and had survived three previous unsuccessful attempts
The completion story of the palace was amazing as the compedium announced that the project produced a ₦36 million surplus after the palace was completed, which would later become significant in the continuing development story of Ijesaland.
Penpushing also reports that rather than marking the end of the mobilisation philosophy that produced the palace, the resources left from the project became the seed funding for the subsequent Ijesa Health Is Wealth Project, which eventually gave birth to the Ijesaland Geriatric Centre.
The Palace project established not only a physical landmark but also a model of community mobilisation, prudent management and reinvestment, and this is clear testominal that Owa’s palace project provides a practical illustration of the five leadership principles running through Fasuyi’s 10-year stewardship record
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