40-Year Old Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Emerge New Ooni Of Ife

The Osun State Government has announced the name for the new Ooni of Ife. The new man to sit on the throne is Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi of the Giesi ruling house and a holder of Higher National Diploma in Accountancy from the Polytechnic Ibadan. Prince Adeyeye is 40 years old.

According to a Government statement, entitled “Appointment of a New Ooni,” , “This follows the completion of the due process and the communication of their (Kingmakers’) choice to the government.”

Ogunwusi will sit on the throne of Oduduwa, left by Oba Okunade Sijuade, who died on July 28 2015 in a London hospital.

The statement was signed by secretary to the state government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti.The emergence of Mr. Ogunwusi as Ooni was not without controversy.

No sooner had the search for the successor to Oba Sijuwade began than some ruling houses in the town started bickering over whose turn it was to produce the next king for the ancient city.

Although it appeared settled that the Giesi house would produce the next Ooni, being next to the Ogboru ruling house in the succession order established by government declaration on the Ooni chieftaincy title of 1977, the Ogboru rand Lafogido ruling houses challenged the  decision of the kingmakers to restrict the search to Giesi .

The Ogboru family contended that the Giesi ruling lineage should blame itself for conceding its turn to produce an Ooni to the late Oba Sijuwade, saying the concession to the late king was to him as an individual and not to the Ogboru clan as a whole.

Two members of the Lafogido Ruling House also sued Governor Aregbesola, the Obalufe of Ile-Ife, the late Oba Solomon Omisakin and Lowa of Ife, Joseph Ijaodola at an Osun State High Court over the decision to allow only the Giesi Ruling House present candidates for the stool.

They asked the court to nullify the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration, saying it was “lopsided, unjust, unconstitutional and unfair.”

The court dismissed the suit, paving the way for the selection of Mr. Ogunwusi as Ooni.

There are four ruling houses in Ile-Ife – Lafogido, Giesi, Ogboru, and Oshikola.

Oba Sijuwade, who reigned between 1980 and 2015, is of the Ogboru royal lineage.

Before Mr. Ogunwusi’s appointment, Monday, the last descendant of the Giesi ruling house that occupied the position was Ooni Derin Ologbenla  and that was between 1880 and 1894.

The other royal houses have also taken turns to produce Obas for the ancient town at various times.

The Ogboru lineage produced Oba Adelekan Olubuse I, who reigned between 1894 and 1910, with the Lafogido ruling house producing his successor, Oba Ademuluyi Ajagu (1910-1930).

Oba Sijuwade’s predecessor, Adesoji Aderemi, who reigned between 1930 and 1980, came from the Oshikola ruling house.