Ile-Ife king makers have revealed how they arrived to the conclusion that Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi was the rightful fit for the vacant throne of the Ooni of Ife.
The kingmakers on Monday, October 26, defended their choice of Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi as the successor of the late Ooni of Ife.
According to them, they followed due process in making their choice. The Laadin of Ife Traditional Council, Chief Adetoye Olatunde Odewole, said there was no rancour during the process. He invalidated the claims of a ruling house that the process was “faulty and fraudulent”.
Odewole told reporters at the outer hall of the Ooni’s palace: “We followed due process by using the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration to pick a candidate from the Giesi Ruling House, which by that declaration is in line to produce the Ooni after the passing to glory of Oba Okunade Sijuwade. We also consulted Ifa oracle before all of us.
The 14 kingmakers unanimously voted for the candidacy of Prince Ogunwusi”.
Installation rites for the Ooni begin tomorrow in the ancient town.
Ogunwusi, 40, was named the 51st Ooni early yesterday by the Osun State government following the kingmakers’ recommendation. He is expected in the town tomorrow following which he will move to Ilofi, for the start of the 21-day ritual that will terminate in his installation.