by Chi Ibe
The billion-naira auditorium is back in the news again.
Nigeria’s most revered pentecostal preacher, Enoch Adejare Adeboye had announced at e 61st Annual Convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) plans to build a new auditorium.
As published by YNaija at the time, the auditorium was to stretch 3km in length and width, and four times the size of the present auditorium, to accommodate many more parishioners, before next year’s convention.
“We need N1 Billion from ten (10) people,” Adeboye said. “If you are one of them, please see my personal Secretary after we finish today. We also need N100million from those who can afford it, if you are in that category, please see my personal Secretary as well. Nonetheless, we need everyone’s involvement. If you can afford N50million, N20million, N5million, N1million to as low as N100, kindly make sure you participate. How many of you will build for the Lord?”
What followed was an outcry – including this popular Op-Ed piece HERE.
The loud protests on social media didn’t quite make a difference, but something else did, according to Encomium.
“Close aides of the respected clergy revealed to ENCOMIUM Weekly that the 71 year-old General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God suddenly felt dissatisfied with the architectural design of the multi-billion naira project,” the magazine reports. ” According to our source, he called the architect whose identity is still shrouded in secrecy, along with the builders, that he would want them to do another structural design for the project. He complained that the facility does not have toilets inside the structure.”
“I can tell you categorically that work has been suspended on the site and the major reason is that Baba felt dissatisfied with the architectural design. Although, it was initially approved, he opted for something classier that will make life comfortable for the millions that throng the city. For instance, the former one-million seater auditorium does not have basic facilities such as toilets. Thus, he has decided to improve on this new structure.”
Our source also revealed that he also decided to include a train within the auditorium that would convey people from the tail of the auditorium to the front. This is another multi-million naira project. He has mandated the architect to accommodate that in the new design and also engage the services of experts to handle the project. All these additions, we gathered, would also affect the duration and budget of the multi-billion naira project.
Work on the N20 million three-kilometre auditorium of the Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye-led The Redeemed Christian Church of God suffered a huge setback few weeks back as sponsored thugs, armed to the teeth, invaded the construction site and chased away workers.
Information available to ENCOMIUM Weekly revealed that trouble began in the early morning of Monday, September 30, 2013, when armed hoodlums, numbering over 50, invaded the site of the proposed ultra-modern three-million seater auditorium and chased away members of the ministry employed to work on the project. We learnt the site is in Agufoye Village, Ogun State. According to our source, the land was acquired for N215 million in 2003, from members of the Agufor family of Agufoye Village who are the original owners. Evidence of the acquisition was contained in an Ogun State revenue receipt dated July 29, 2009, and N35 million was paid for government’s survey with Ogun State government receipt No. 0536521.
However, trouble began when some people fraudulently obtained another survey plan and invited land grabbers to claim a portion of the land. This resulted in a clash between agents of both parties. We were informed that Pastor Adeboye opted for peace and negotiated some portion of the land they had earlier paid for. But they demanded for more land and another payment claiming they should pay the other members of the family headed by one Alhaja Ramota Akinlabi, who is a sister to the Baale. According to our source, the case has been dragged to court.
On Wednesday, November 6, 2013, one of Pastor Adeboye’s aides who pleaded anonymity shed more light on the real reasons the project was suspended.
“Contrary to the belief that the N20 billion 3-kilometre auditorium was suspended due to the issue with land owners, the real reason has to do with adjustment in architectural design and inclusion of a multi-million naira moving train within the auditorium led to the suspension temporarily.”
A statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters Abuja, CSP Frank Mba said the restrictions were in furtherance of strategies designed to prevent electoral fraud and violence during and after the polls.
The statement, however, noted that “those on essential duties are not affected by this order.”
Abubakar promised that the state would be heavily policed to ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the election.
The statement reiterated that only Police personnel specifically assigned for election duties must be seen within and around election designated places.
It further said: “The Force High Command notes that the restriction order is informed by the exigencies of overriding security considerations.
“The Force is not ignorant of the citizen’s right to freedom of movement, as enshrined in the constitution; it however insists that this is a pre-emptive measure aimed at forestalling elaborate plans by faceless groups to undermine the electoral process as gathered through intelligence reports.
While regretting the difficulties the restrictions would cause travellers going through AnambraState to other parts of the country, the police said the restriction was fashioned towards ensuring “a seamless, credible and successful gubernatorial election.
“The Force also suggests that travellers should take advantage of alternate routes to their destinations where necessary within the days this order is in Force.”
– See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/anambra-poll-police-ground-traffic-s-east-s-south/#sthash.suNgNVdn.dpuf
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