Race for the next Ooni of Ife after the demise of the former occupier, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, is generating heat as two ruling houses are set to clash over who will produce the new king.

Following the demise of Oba Sijuwade, who is from the Ogboru rulling, his successor was restricted to the Giesi family.

This is so, according to the succession order established by government declaration on the Ooni chieftaincy title of 1977. But the Ogboru royal family is also contesting for the position.

The Ogboru family said the agreement entered between the Giesi royal house and the late Ooni is a done on a personal ground and is not binding to the family, Premium Times reports.

This new development has thrown confusion in the ancient town as the selection of the new Ooni would not be without fisticuffs.

On the other hand, Giesi Ruling House is insisting it is its turn to produce the next Ooni to succeed late Oba Sijuwade.

The princes of the Giesi ruling house in a press conference, Adelowo Ogunleye, Moses Awogbade and Ropo Ogunwusi said that their clan would produce the next king of Ife.

The spokesperson of the Giesi ruling house, Ogunleye, said that it was the turn of the ruling house based on the government declaration on the Ooni chieftaincy title in 1977.

He explained that the memorandum was issued in Oyo state government in September 16, 1980.

Giesi statement read in part: “We want to seize this opportunity to tell the whole world especially the people of Ile-Ife and government of the State of Osun, ably headed by our amiable and indefatigable governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, that the normal rotation to the succession to the throne of Ooni which is in vogue in Ile-Ife presently, has ascertained the fact that it is now the turn of Giesi Ruling House Moore Ile Ife to produce the next Ooni of Ife by the special grace of God almighty.

“It is on record as indicated by the government declaration captioned ‘ The Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy Declaration’ reference no CB141/7/1/540 dated 22nd August, 1977 addressed to the then Executive Secretary of Oranmiyan Local Government Ile-Ife from the office of Military Governor of Oyo State of Nigeria and duly signed by the then Secretary to the Military Government and Head of Service.”

“It is on record as indicated by the government declaration captioned ‘ The Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy Declaration’ reference no CB141/7/1/540 dated 22nd August, 1977 addressed to the then Executive Secretary of Oranmiyan Local Government Ile-Ife from the office of Military Governor of Oyo State of Nigeria and duly signed by the then Secretary to the Military Government and Head of Service.”

He further stated that Paragraph A of the letter stated that the order of rotation among the ruling houses should be as follows: “( 1) Osinkola (2) Ogboru (3) Giesi (4) Lafogido.

“We want all and sundry to please note that the Osinkola House produced our father Oba Adesoji Aderemi who ruled for 50 years in Ile-Ife and was immediately succeeded by Oba Okunade Sijuwade from Ogboru House who has just transited.

“It then follows that the next ruling house to produce the next Ooni of Ife should automatically and normally come from Giesi Ruling House as the government approved rotational arrangements.”