Controversies has trailed the
death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II as the Royal traditional Council of the town, Wednesday,
said the paramount ruler is alive and in
good state of health.
The RTC, which comprises of
all traditional chiefs and title holders in Ile-Ife said Oba Sijuade is not
only in sound state of health but added that the royal father was preparing for
son’s wedding holding next week Sunday in Lagos.
Sources close to the foremost
traditioner ruler told Vanguard at the palace that the traditional wedding of
the new couples took place last weekend in London.
Addressing newsmen in House of
Chiefs located within the premises of Ile-Oodua palace of Ooni, Lowa of Ife,
Oba Joseph Ijaodola who spoke in yoruba, said the report in the media that the
monarch died in a London Hospital of an undisclosed ailment,was untrue.
Also speaking, secretary Royal
Traditional Council of Ife, the Ladin of Ife,
High Chief Adetoye Odewole, said Ooni is hale and hearty and even spoke
to the chiefs on phone few hours earlier.
He added “those behind the
death story are enemies of Ife and as I speak with you, chiefs have not heard
anything like that. This is not the first time such rumour will be carried
about our father.
“They did it in 1984, also in
2004 and now, these people are coming up with another rumour. Oba Sijuade
remains in sound state of health”.
Commenting similar vein,
chairman, Ife Development Board, Prof. Muib Opeloye, said Ife as a town with
rich tradition has its way of managing its affairs.
Opeloye maintained the royal
father was preparing for his son’s wedding, urging people not to panic and go
about their normal daily activities.
Meanwhile, the entrance of
Ooni’s palace was shut to visitors, as only newsmen, chiefs and relations of Oba
Sijuade were allowed into the premises.
Many indigenes and residents
of Ife had converged at entrance of the palace but were prevented from going
inside by guards.
Meanwhile, Osun state
government is yet to make official statement concerning the demise of the
monarch.
But Osun State House of
Assembly has expressed its sympathy to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, state council
of Traditional rulers and chiefs, the good people of ancient city of Ile Ife
and the immediate and extended families of the late Oba Okunade Sijwade
Olubuse, the Ooni of Ife as the great King joined his ancestors.
In a statement issued by the
Speaker’s spokesman, Mr. Goke Butika, the parliament “in a condolence message
by the Speaker, Mr Najeem Salaam “expressed his regret and shock over the
transition of the natural ruler to the silent land of his forebear, saying the
engine room of royalty and the custody of Yoruba cosmology has just been
temporarily grounded by the clog of death”.
Salaam then” celebrated the
life and time of the great king, Oba Sijuwade, attesting that the monarch
exuded unique royalty almost equivalent of imperial culture that could not be
rivaled while he called the shot on the revered stool of his fathers”.
“The parliament then sent its
condolence to the governor over the loss of the monarch and prayed that the
Supreme Eludumare, the Cherisher of Aiye would rest the late natural
father”,the statement added..
Source: vanguardngr
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