₦airaland Forum

It is not the culture of the Yoruba to aspire to the throne and as such it is unfortunate that some persons have already been on air to assign, claim and indicate interest in being the next Ooni of Ife. All this even before any formal announcements were made and proper rites observed. Despite this, the ruling houses of Ife remain united as the children of Oduduwa.

There are four ruling houses in Ile-Ife and the next Ooni will emerge from the Giesi ruling house. The last Ooni from the Giesi ruling house was Ooni Derin Ologbenla (1880-1894)

1894-1910 Ooni Adelekan Olubuse I (Ogboru)
1910-1930 Ooni Ademuluyi Ajagu (Lafogido)
1930-1980 Ooni Adesoji Aderemi (Oshikola)
1980-2015 Ooni Okunade Sijuwade (Ogboru)

The members of Giesi Ruling house met on Saturday 15th August at Akodi Agbedegbede (family house) in Ile-Ife. The meeting was well attended by hundreds of princes, princesses and elders of the royal lineage. The meeting, called only after the formal announcements by the Ife chiefs, was in respect to the laws and tradition of the royal families. Tributes were paid to the long and happy reign of Oba Alayeluwa Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II and prayers were said for the repose of his soul with his fore fathers.

At this meeting, the elders of Giesi ruling house announced and affirmed that the time is now for the process of filling the gap created in the Kingship of Ile-Ife to commence.

The legal process and content of the law that guides the selection of the Ooni was publicly presented to all the princes and princesses present.

First it was established that Giesi ruling house is set and in-turn to produce the next Ooni of Ile-Ife. Secondly, it was communicated as stated in the law, that 14 days from when the vacancy occurred, the ruling house is obliged to make a presentation of candidate(s) to the local government. Thereafter it was communicated that the basis of the selection will be from male children who are offspring of both male and female children of Giesi ruling house.

An invitation was given to all interested princes of Giesi ruling house to obtain and complete the prescribed form, return the form to the family within the next couple of days after which they will be screened. Elders then screen and select as many as they feel comfortable with. Post screening, the names will be submitted to the Kingmakers within a period of 14 days from the vacancy of the stool. The Kingmakers make consultations with the oracle before forwarding their approved list to the local government. The emergence of the Ooni will depend on how quickly the oracle selects the appropriate occupier to be of the throne of Ife.

This is the correct process and procedure and nobody is precluded.

One of the prominent persons to look out for in this race is the great grand son of Ooni Derin Ologbenla, Oba Bankole Adewale Ojutalayo, the Laroka of Wankin, who over the last 5 years has worked judiciously in Ile-Ife to maintain peace, develop townships and was instrumental in the installation of a number of Obas within the Ife kingdom. Oba Bankole Adewale Ojutalayo was prominent in the council of Sookos contributing to the progress and development of that council.