Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola, and former Minister for Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, Thursday condoled with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, over the fire disaster that ravaged parts of his palace on January 9.

Similarly, the governor also commiserated with the people of Plank Village in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, where a fire outbreak displaced about 3,000 people as well as other victims of fire disasters across the country.

Amosun in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Funmi Wakama, described the fire incidents as unfortunate and lamentable.

According to him, "the fire incident at the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo is most unfortunate. Valuable properties, including cultural artefacts were destroyed. I am one with my brother governor, Abiola Ajimobi, and the people of Oyo State in lamenting this tragedy. But we still have to thank God that nobody was injured and no life was lost in the inferno."

Amosun expressed the Yoruba belief that from the ashes of the current palace, a monument would emerge.

While sympathising with residents of Plank Village and other victims of fire disasters across the country, the governor called for vigilance and respect for town planning laws in erecting structures for private or commercial purposes.

"Citizens should also be wary of bush burning during this harmattan period in order to avoid untoward consequences," the governor said.

Also reacting to the fire incident during a visit to the Alaafin's palace, Arisekola sympathised with the monarch on the inferno and said the fact that the inferno claimed no life was a testimony of divine mercy on the palace.

In his condolence statement, a former deputy governor in the state, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarunmi, sympathised with with the royal father on the inferno, which he described as a monumental loss.

Former Sports Minister, Prof. Adedoja, described the fire incident as shocking and stated that the artefacts destroyed by the inferno would be difficult to restore even when the building was rebuilt.

Adedoja noted that the palace was an ancient building with many historical antecedents and relevance to the culture of Yorubaland.

He prayed for divine protection on the palace and the royal father and his family.