Inside Alhaji Mai Deribe's $100M Gold Palace: and why the Luxury Mansion Lies Abandoned!

The Mai Deribe Gold Palace in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, is an extraordinary symbol of wealth, craftsmanship, and historical prestige. Owned by Alhaji Mai Deribe, an influential oil magnate, the palace took an impressive 10 years non-stop to build, with construction starting in the late 1970s and completing in the late 1980s. Its staggering cost, reportedly $100 million, reflects the luxurious materials and intricate designs that define this masterpiece.

What sets the palace apart is its use of real gold in its construction. Gold-plated ceilings, fittings, and intricate decor adorn the palace, giving it a level of opulence unmatched in Africa. The structure includes over 50 exquisitely designed rooms, several family apartments, and spacious courtyards, blending Northern Nigerian, Arabic, and Italian architectural styles seamlessly.

The Mai Deribe Gold Palace (Gidan Mai Deribe) has hosted some of the most prominent figures in history, the building’s majesty was enough to impress the late Princess Diana and her husband, King Charles, King Juan Carlos I of Spain who stayed in the palace for two days in 1986 (the Spanish king was said to have been amazed with such opulence right in the middle of a vast desert) and even a son of an American President (George Bush would later become the US President himself), all of whom were hosted in the gold-marble building which was so exquisite that its commissioning was done by military president, General Ibrahim Babangida.

Though unoccupied today, the palace stands as a testament to Nigeria's rich history and the legacy of Alhaji Mai Deribe. Its golden splendor continues to attract attention from visitors and content creators, making it a legendary landmark celebrated worldwide.

It is believed that he (Alhaji Mai Deribe) was among the first 12 people to purchase the customized version of this jet in the early 1980s, putting him in the same league with Yoshiaki Tsutsumi of Japan who was the richest man in the world at that time and other billionaires like Khalid Ibn Mahfouz of Saudi Arabia and Robert Edward ‘Ted’ Turner, the owner of CNN.

0:00 Introduction
0:20 Maiduguri & Central Mosque
01:28 Mai Deribe's Gold Palace
15:12 Conclusion

Media: Jabs Classic
Music Credit: @beatambience
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