The battle to fill the vacant position of the Ooni of Ife is gathering momentum as Prince Adesoji Isaac Fadehan, a journalist with Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), has joined the race.
Fadehan, the OSBC director general, declared his interest in contesting for the exalted role yesterday, August 24, Daily Sun reports.
According to him, only an individual with the right to royalty by birth and lineage, could occupy the position.
“That is why, after having well and meaningful discussions with my immediate family, Fadehan Ogunleye and the elders and well-meaning members of my royal lineage, the Giesi royal family of Ile Ife, I, Prince Adesoji Fadehan, use this medium to formally declare my intention to contest for the stool of my forefathers,” he added.
Fadehun is the first contestant from the Giesi royal family to indicate his intention to contest for the vacant stool.
As one of the four ruling houses with the right to occupy the seat of the Ooni of Ife, the Giesi royal family declared on Monday that it was its turn to produce the next monarch for the ancient town, Nigerian Tribune reports.
At a press conference in Osogbo, the Osun state capital, the spokesperson for the Giesi ruling house, Prince Kunle Adelowo, said the rotation of the stool among the ruling houses indicated that it was the turn of a prince from the ruling house to emerge.
He said that the last time the Giesi family of Moore produced the Ooni was over a century ago and the name of the last Ooni from the house was Oba Derin Ologbenla, who reigned between 1880 and 1894.
Adelowo explained that the Ooni of Ife chieftaincy declaration’ reference no CB141/7/1/540 dated August 22, 1977 states that ‘the order of rotation among the ruling house should be as follows: Osinkola House, Ogboru House, Giesi House and Lafogido House.
“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 to greater glory.
“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 per the two government approved rotational arrangements sited above,” he stated.
Adelowo added that they are set to produce names of competent and credible candidates who can easily ascend to the exalted throne of the Ooni of Ife.
The Ooni of Ife stool became vacant following the death of Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II in in a London hospital. The news of his death was initially denied by the Royal Traditional Council (RTC) of the town. They said the paramount ruler was alive and in a good state of health.
The monarch was laid to rest in Ile-Ife on Friday, 14th August 2015, amidst glitz and glamour as prominent Nigerians turned out in their numbers for the inter-religious service.
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