Barely two months after the demise of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Ife kingmakers, yesterday, relieved the people of the ancient town, the entire Yoruba race and Nigerians of suspense over the next king that would occupy the exalted throne when they unanimously endorsed one of the four recognised ruling houses, the Giesi Ruling House, for the throne.
The Head of the kingmakers, Obalufe of Ife, Oba Folorunso Omisakin, who spoke on behalf of the kingmakers during a press conference organised at the Ooni’s palace, Ile-Oodua in the ancient city, yesterday, declared that their decision was based on the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration, which, he insisted, now superseded the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration.
According to him, it is the 1980 Chieftaincy Declaration which produced the late Sijuwade that was now sacrosanct, stressing that it had made it the turn of the Giesi Ruling House to produce the next Ooni.
“We the 16 traditional rulers making up the kingmakers by Ife traditional rules and customs hereby unanimously declare and affirm that the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration is the one in existence now and we affirm that according to Section 19 subsection A (3), it is the turn of the Giesi Ruling House to present a candidate/candidates for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy,” Oba Omisakin said.
While clearing the air on the fate of the remaining three ruling houses, the Obalufe of Ife declared: “The other three ruling houses, that is, Osinkola, Ogboru and Lafogido should wait for their turns.”
Oba Omisakin also assured that all the processes leading to the final choice of a new Ooni would be strictly based on Osun State chieftaincy laws as well as the culture and tradition of the land.
He, however stressed that the new Ooni must be a man of good character, must have relative ability, must have the public support of the kingmakers and Ife people and must be conversant with the culture and tradition of the land, insisting that the kingmakers had the final say on the selection processes.
On how soon the new Ooni will emerge, the Obalufe disclosed that in the next 42 days, the vacant stool would be occupied by a candidate from the Giesi Ruling House, noting that the local government where the candidate/candidates hail from would take 14 days to complete their screening, the kingmakers would also take 14 days, while final announcement would take 14 days.
Oba Omisakin, also said that the processes would be free of rancour, assured of relative peace.
“We hereby enjoin the four members of the four ruling houses, the town’s people, all religious bodies, men and women from Ife environs to please maintain absolute peace. By doing this, the kingmakers would be able to select the best candidate for the vacant stool,” he stressed. Tajudeen Olaniyi, one of the kingmakers, also disclosed that very soon, they would write an official letter to the Giesi Ruling House to submit the list of their candidate/candidates.
