Ife chiefs to sanction aspirants who flout rules on Ooni stool

THE Ife Traditional Council may sanction aspirants from the ruling four houses in the ancient city who have begun to make public their interest to succeed the late Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, without respect for laid-down rules.

Sources from the palace said yesterday that the council was unhappy that some princes of the ancient town have been declaring their ambition in flagrant disrespect to the laid down Ife tradition and custom The council, which expressed serious concern on the matter, said those who engaged in ‘unwholesome conduct’ were doing so at their own peril because, according to it, such people would receive sanctions when the time was ripe.

Sources said news about open declaration by some princes was surprising, more so when Oba Sijuwade was just buried on Saturday and the seven-day mourning would expire on Thursday. “I can tell you that we have noticed the development in the media because we have been monitoring things since the demise of our father. “We are not asking ruling houses not to aspire to the throne, but due process must be followed.

In Ife, we have rules and regulations for a mature time before people begin to show interest for Obaship position and those who flout the rules will not go unpunished,” a source close to the palace said.

The four ruling houses in Ife in accordance with the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration and rotational order are Osinkola, Ogboru, Giesi and Lafogido. Oba Sijuwade’s predecessor, Sir Adesoji Aderemi, was from Osinkola ruling house while the departed monarch, came from the Ogboru. Sources said that a rotational arrangement had been put in place to facilitate an easy selection process for the position of Ooni.

A group, “Ife Stakeholders,” yesterday urged kingmakers in the town to ensure that the rotational order on ground was adhered to strictly in order to avoid crisis.