The ‘death’ of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, triggered confusion and shock yesterday amid denial by the Royal Traditional Council of Ife. Tradition chiefs and titleholders who make up the council dismissed reports that the monarch, one of the foremost influential traditional rulers in Nigeria, died in a London hospital on Tuesday night. “The monarch is hale and hearty,” the chiefs told reporters at a press conference in Ile Ife, Osun State.
But New Telegraph gathered from palace sources that confirming the death of the monarch without following the traditional rite of passage would have dire consequences for the ancient town and his successor. The sources said that as a foremost Yoruba traditional ruler, there were prescribed rites that ought to be performed first before the death of the monarch could be made public. Not doing so could lead to deaths, it was learnt. But the chiefs decried the reported death of the monarch just as residents of the town besieged the palace for clarification.
The chiefs said one of the monarch’s sons would be getting married to a daughter of former Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Remi Olowu, on Sunday in Lagos and Oba Sijuwade, who was ill and had to be flown to Britain for treatment, might attend to disprove his reported death.
The council’s spokesman and Lowa Adimula of Ifeland, Chief Joseph Ijaodola, at the press conference held at House of Chiefs located within the premises of the palace of the Ooni, described the reported death of the Ooni as a mere rumour that has no locus standi.
He, however, warned those behind the rumour to desist from it to avoid creating unnecessary fears in the minds of members of the public. Secretary, Royal Traditional Council of Ife, Chief Adetoye Odewole, while refuting the report on the death of the monarch, said: “Ooni is hale and hearty and even spoke to the chiefs on phone few hours earlier. “Those behind the death story are enemies of Ife.
As I speak with you, the chiefs have not heard anything like that. This is not the first time such a 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 Sijuwade remains in a sound state of health”. Also, President, Ife Development Board, Professor Muibi Opeloyeru, urged the public to disregard the reported death of the monarch.
He said: “The monarch’s son will this weekend marry a daughter of one of the influential people in the society. “Ife as a town with rich tradition has its way of managing its affairs and there is no way such a thing will happen that traditional chiefs in the land will not be adequately briefed.”
However, hundreds of Ife residents besieged the palace as early as 6am to ascertain what happened to their traditional ruler. But despite the claims of the traditional chiefs that their monarch was hale and hearty, palace sources said different rituals had begun within the premises of the palace to appease the gods on the matter.
New Telegraph observed series of meetings being held at different inner chambers of the palace by the chiefs who were rattled with the news. The chiefs, who met behind closed-doors, were seen moving around the palace.
But outside the palace, socio-economic activities were undisrupted in the ancient town as people were seen carrying out their normal daily activities. Shops were opened and both vehicles and motorcycles were plying roads of the town.
However, some of the residents gathered in groups in other parts of the town to discuss the reported death of their monarch. Even at the palace, normal activities went on unhindered as every office was opened. But at a point, guards had to lock the palace entrance to prevent some commercial motorcyclists and others from entering.
