An architectural monument is about to become past tense as the Oyo State government has commenced the demolition of ill-fated De Castle Inn in Ibadan over the weekend.
The ill-fated edifice has a history of abandonment, mixed wonder and controversial ownership.
As ‘The Punch’ reports, the structure located at the Total Garden Area along the ever-busy Mokola-Agodi Gate road was previously used as a hotel in the metropolis, before it was abandoned.
The Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development, Mr William Akin-Funmilayo, disclosed that the building had been abandoned by its owner for years, and recalled that the state government had earlier warned owners of abandoned structures in the state to put them to use.
According to Akin-Funmilayo, the government had, in a statement issued in February this year, cautioned that it would take over any abandoned structures posing a threat to the public.
The statement said, “The government got information from the public and security agencies that the structure had been constituting a security threat to the environment, as criminals and hoodlums usually hid there.
“They go on the streets to snatch telephones, bags, and other valuables from passersby. In addition, it has become a home for illicit drug users, who trade in illicit drugs as well as smoke different kinds of things.
“We are here to confirm what we heard and what we have seen, and this place has been abandoned for the past 10 to 13 years.
“We are here to ensure the safety of the people living in this environment. So, we have seen for ourselves that this is a completely abandoned building.
“The government will work within the ambit of the law to take possession of the building to stop what is constituting a threat.”
According to our correspondent, the demolition of the structure was ongoing as of the time of filing this report.
