ICDA wasn’t involved in Atta’s palace renovation – Sadiq Amodu

The National President of Igala Cultural and Development Association (ICDA), Sadiq Amodu Abubakar has given clarification on Monday, saying that ICDA wasn’t involved in the renovation project of Atta Igala’s palace.

While speaking with CAPITAL POST on a widely held belief in some quarters that the renovation of the traditional seat of Igala Kingdom in Idah, Kogi East Senatorial district was carried out by the Igala Socio-Cultural apex group, he stressed that they had nothing to do with the project.

He explained that prior to the appointment of Atta Igala, His Royal Majesty, Mathew Alaji Opaluwa, some good spirited sons and daughters of Igala kingdom living outside State decided to pool resources together on their own to carry out the renovation.

According him, these sons and daughters set up their own Committee to collect donations purposely for the project, adding that it was their various Committees that handles the inflow and out flow of donations from the beginning to the end of the project with the ICDA knowing absolutely nothing about how their finances were handled.

The highest role played by the ICDA, he said, was to encourage the facelift of the palace to a world class standard, given that Atta Igala is the father of all.

He said: “The association only encouraged them to ensure that the palace was uplifted to a world class standard preparatory to the installation of the new Atta Igala, His Royal Majesty, Mathew Alaji Opaluwa.

“Those that contributed money know how it was spent and the money didn’t pass through the Bank Account of ICDA, hence, we don’t have details of the accounting structure of the project.

“Neither myself nor any of the ICDA executive under my leadership has financial dealing with anyone with regards to the renovation project and I believe clarification would put the record in public domain that the project was carried out independently of ICDA”, he insisted.

CAPITAL POST recalled that there were media reports that the National President of ICDA was involved in the renovation of Atta Igala’s palace, which he was demanded to account how fund which accrued in that regard was spent.

Meanwhile, preparations were advancing in Kogi State for the staff of office to be given to Atta Igala by the State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello at a ceremony that will take place on 4th March, 2022.

He called on sons and daughters of Igala Kingdom living in the country and in the Diaspora to join hands in working for advancement of the land, stressing that as God blesses them they should remember to give back to the society what the society has earlier given them.