Ife Kingmakers: New Ooni to Emerge in 40 Days
Late Oba Okunade Sijuwade;
- Declare Giesi ruling house to produce next Oba
- Adewoyin kicks, alleges Abewela royal house has been criminally denied of stool
Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Facts emerged yesterday that following the demise of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; a new Ooni from the Giesi Ruling House may emerge in 40 days time.
Facts emerged yesterday that following the demise of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; a new Ooni from the Giesi Ruling House may emerge in 40 days time.
Also, a foremost contender for the Ooni’s stool, Mr. Ahmed Aderoju Adewoyin, from the Abewela royal compound (under the Lafogido Ruling House), yesterday alleged that his ruling house has been criminally denied of the royal stool.
Addressing journalists at Ile-Oodua, the traditional Prime Minister of Ile-Ife and leader of the kingmakers, the Obalufe of Ife, Oba Folorunsho Omisakin, contended that it was the turn of the Giesi Ruling House to produce the next Ooni.
Stating the position of the 16 Ife kingmakers, Omisakin, who was flanked by the Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola, and other kingmakers, explained that 1980 Ife chieftaincy declaration will be relied upon to choose the next monarch.
He remarked that only the Giesi ruling house would be allowed to contest for the throne, explaining that the concerned ruling house will be expected to present candidates upon receipt of letter from Ife East Local Government Area.
Obalufe stressed that: “When the candidates are presented to us (the kingmakers), we will sit upon the names and within 14 days, we must come out with our findings. After that, in another 14 days, new monarch must emerge.
According to him, “Section 19 subsections (3) states that it is the turn of Giesi ruling house to present a candidate(s) for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife chieftaincy, other three ruling houses, that is, Osinkola, Ogboru, and Lafogido should wait for their turn.
“Finally, we hereby enjoin the members of the ruling houses, the people of the town, all religious bodies, men and women in Ife and environs to please maintain absolute peace. By doing this, the kingmakers would be able to select the best candidate for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife.”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretaries of Ife East and Ife Central Local Government Areas, Tajudeen Lawal and Taiwo Olaiya, said it would not be the first time the 1980 chieftaincy declaration would be used to select an Ooni.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretaries of Ife East and Ife Central Local Government Areas, Tajudeen Lawal and Taiwo Olaiya, said it would not be the first time the 1980 chieftaincy declaration would be used to select an Ooni.
Lawal specifically mentioned that 1980 chieftaincy declaration was relied upon to pick the late Ooni of Ife.
Commenting further, he said part of the requirements of law for whoever becomes the Ooni of Ife is that he must have relative ability, character and the support of the people of Ife
Commenting further, he said part of the requirements of law for whoever becomes the Ooni of Ife is that he must have relative ability, character and the support of the people of Ife
However, Prince Adewoyin also stressed that due to long alleged criminal denial of Abewela Royal House, a step was taken to regain the rightful throne which had long been over due but the intervention of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo with the then Oyo State Government led by the late Bola Ige passionately pleaded with the royal house to avert the consequential embarrassment that might have been engendered by the impending legal tussle.
Speaking with THISDAY yesterday Adewoyin contended that the matter was reversed albeit with an official arrangement to shift the next (51st) Ooni of Ife to Abewela Royal House (under Lafogido dynasty) in Ile Ife.
He noted that it was incontrovertible to state that over time, one of the two major dynasties, Lajodogun, has been split into three separate ruling houses of Ogboru, Osinkola and Giesi on one hand, while the other dynasty, Lafogido, has remained a single undivided dynasty, on the other hand.
According to him: “It is worrisome to note that after the reign of Ooni Adegunle Abewela (1839-1849), out of the two original ruling dynasties (Lajodogun and Lafogido), only one section, Lajodogun, has so far produced seven Oonis of Ife in quick succession.
The other dynasty, Lafogido, has produced only one, the 48th Ooni, Ajagun Ademiluyi, between 1910 and 1930.
The other dynasty, Lafogido, has produced only one, the 48th Ooni, Ajagun Ademiluyi, between 1910 and 1930.
He said: “Abewela royal family exerted several efforts to redress this glaring imbalance, and it resulted in the setting up of a Commission of Inquiries in 1957, 1977 and 1986 respectively. But regrettably, all efforts to get justice were politically thwarted by the then powers that be.”
However, Giesi ruling house, in an incredible multiplying succession, produced Oonis of Ife Degbinsokan Kubusu in 1849; Orayigba Ojaja in1878 and Derin Ologbenla in 1880.
Adewoyin alleged that it was a pointer to the magnitude of the age long lopsidedness, political manipulations and injustice meted out to Abewela royal house under Lafogido Ruling Dynasty, saying It would only be fair, just and equitable to conclude that the appropriate royal house to produce the 51st Ooni of Ife is Abewela royal house under Lafogido dynasty.
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