OONI: Ife traditional rulers accuse some king-makers of fraud

Process leading to the selection of the new Ooni of Ife for the vacant stool is getting messier as some traditional rulers in the ancient town yesterday accused the king-makers of alleged inducement to favour a particular candidate.

A statement by the “New Dawn Ife Kingdom Obas” by Oba Layiwola Adereti, Obawara of Iwara, Oba Adesiyan Mayowa, the Eyenla of Amula Ife, and Oba Adeoye Adefarakan, the Oloyere of Oyere- Ife, chairman, secretary and publicity secretary respectively said the selection process was unacceptable to them.

The statement read in part: “We, the entire members of the New Dawn Ife Kingdom Obas are compelled by the recent unfolding events in the Royal Court of Ife, Ile-Ife to make our position clear.

‘’We take this unique opportunity to explain to the public that the messy situations arising from the purported selection of a new Ooni of Ife as carried out by the so called King-makers after the demise of our highly respected Monarch, His Imperial Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, the Ooni of Ife is alarming.

“It is a known fact that a successor to the throne of the Ooni must evolve since there must not be vacuum in the exalted post for long.

‘’However, in selecting a candidate for the throne, due process must be followed. Starting from the nomination by the Ruling House whose turn it is to produce a candidate for the stool up to his selection by the King-makers as well as approved by the government.

“We believe that the selection of a new Ooni of Ife by the King-makers should follow the due process as laid down by the combined effect of the 1957 and 1980, Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy Law and Declaration respectively.”