Ooni’s throne opens to all ruling houses —Osinkola

The Osinkola Ruling House has disagreed with the Giesi and Ogboru Ruling Houses on whose turn it is to produce the next Ooni.

The leader of the Osinkola Ruling House, Prince Olakunle Aderemi, who led other members of the family to a press conference in Ile-Ife on Wednesday, said the race to fill the Ooni vacant stool was open to aspirants from the four ruling houses in Ile-Ife.

Based on this assertion, he said the family would field candidates for the stool because its children were qualified to join the race.

Late Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade

Although the Osinkola Ruling House produced the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi, who ruled before Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who died on July 28, the prince said Osinkola deserved to produce the successor of Oba Sijuwade because the family produced the least number of the Ooni among the four ruling houses.

The ruling house based its position on the variation to the 1977 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration which he said allowed the Ogboru Ruling House to present Sijuwade who eventually emerged the Ooni.

Aderemi said while the Osinkola had produced four Ooni despite being the most senior of the four ruling houses, the Lafogido had produced eight; Ogboru five and Giesi five.

Aderemi said, “ Ife Chieftaincy Declaration of 1980 technically throws open the contest for filling the stool of Ooni. The provision in paragraph six of 1980 Chieftaincy Declaration had cancelled the provision in paragraph five of Ife Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957.

“Osinkola Ruling House is one of the four ruling houses entitled to nominate candidate or candidates for the filling of the vacant stool of the Ooni. Osinkola Ruling House comprises of five male branches from which candidate or candidates can be nominated for the vacant stool.

“The ruling house believes in justice, equity and fair play. Osinkola Ruling House is a peace loving one and has always been a catalyst for development in Ile-Ife.”

Aderemi enjoined Ife kingmakers, who he said were noted for integrity and justice in their assignment to pray for divine guidance to enable them choose a suitable candidate for the throne.

The family also warned that the stool should not be for sale, saying the family would not allow some aspirants who had started parading themselves falsely as members of the Osinkola to move near the throne.

The secretary of the family, Prince Bade Adeyemo, said six contestants had shown interest from the ruling house.

He stated that 54 contestants jostled for the stool before Oba Sijuwade emerged, adding that he believed the kingmakers would be guided by justice and equity in selecting who would succeeded the late Ooni.

Punch