Royal Ife families At War Over Ooni’s Successor

As battle for the next Ooni of Ife begins, the Osinkola Ruling House has disagreed with the Giesi and Ogboru Ruling Houses on whose turn it is to produce the next traditional ruler.

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, argued that the race to fill the Ooni vacant stool was open to contest for the four ruling houses in Ile Ife.

According to him, the family would field candidates for the stool because its children were qualified to join the race.

Although the Osinkola family produced the late Oba Adesoji Aderemi, who ruled before Oba Okunade Sijuwade, 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 the Prince 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 as well as five Ogboru and five Giesi.

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 Puse 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.”

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

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