The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, is dead.
He was born on the 1st of January, 1930to a great royal family in the Ogboru house, Ilare, Ile-Ife. The last Ooni of Ife that the Ogboru ruling house presented (before the incumbent) reigned in Ife for many years as Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. He was the first Ooni to venture out of his domain. At the invitation of the colonial Governor he visited Lagos in 1903 to give his ruling on whether the Oba Elepe of Epe was entitled to wear a crown which was earlier refused by Oba Akarigbo of Remo. Oba Adelekan was the father of the late "Omo-Oba" Adereti Sijuwade, the father of Oba Sijuwade Olubuse II– the present Ooni of Ife. His mother was the late Yeyelori,Emilia Ifasesin Sijuwade.Prince Okunade Sijuwade as he was then called, started his elementary education at Igbein school, Abeokuta, an institution owned by the CMS mission. He lived with his other brother under the care of their father's good friend Chief G. A. Adedayo and his family. Chief Adebayo was the secretary to the Egba council, under the Asoju Oba. After his elementary school education he proceeded to Abeokuta Grammar school, under the well-known educationist, The Rev. I. O. Ransome Kuti who was the principal of the school.
Details of his death were sketchy as at the time of filing this report.
However, sources in the Osun State Government House in Osogbo on Tuesday evening confirmed the development. It was also learnt that the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has just been briefed on the incident.
We will provide you with more details shortly.
