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.
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.