Following the passage of Ooni of
Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade who passed away on Tuesday, 28th July 2015 at
the age of 85 years and 7 months, the entire country has been thrown
into mourning.
Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade who passed away on Tuesday, 28th July 2015 at
the age of 85 years and 7 months, the entire country has been thrown
into mourning.
A close friend to one of the late Ooni’s
children tweeting from @torioke has recounted happenings at the grand
palace in Osun State. According to his tweets, “One of the Sijuwade
princesses called 6am this morning to tell me her dad had passed.The
Ooni was flown to London on Friday. So I checked on her when I arrived
Ife yesterday evening. To ask how he was doing. She said, “He was
better. We didn’t know he was going to join his ancestors in a few
hours”.
children tweeting from @torioke has recounted happenings at the grand
palace in Osun State. According to his tweets, “One of the Sijuwade
princesses called 6am this morning to tell me her dad had passed.The
Ooni was flown to London on Friday. So I checked on her when I arrived
Ife yesterday evening. To ask how he was doing. She said, “He was
better. We didn’t know he was going to join his ancestors in a few
hours”.
“I left for the palace immediately. The
royal courts was in mourning. The ‘emese’ (servants of the king) were
weeping uncontrollably.Baba is gone! The have served at his feet all
their lives. I understood how they felt. They cried much, they made me
cry. The high chiefs started to arrive. They were crying while they
called His Imperial Majesty Oba Okunade Sijuwade various names.
royal courts was in mourning. The ‘emese’ (servants of the king) were
weeping uncontrollably.Baba is gone! The have served at his feet all
their lives. I understood how they felt. They cried much, they made me
cry. The high chiefs started to arrive. They were crying while they
called His Imperial Majesty Oba Okunade Sijuwade various names.
“After all the routine security wahala, I
entered into the inner palace. The princesses till couldn’t believe
their daddy was gone. They were to see/talk to him on Skype last night.
That will never happen again!They lamented how they should have gone
with him if not the aircraft had just 12 seats. They never got to hug
him one last time.
entered into the inner palace. The princesses till couldn’t believe
their daddy was gone. They were to see/talk to him on Skype last night.
That will never happen again!They lamented how they should have gone
with him if not the aircraft had just 12 seats. They never got to hug
him one last time.
“Then they thought to go to their dad’s
chambers and lie on his bed one more time. But guess what..it had become
a ‘no go area’! To them, Kabiyesi is their dad but to everyone else he
was the king of kings. King of all the Yorubas. He was a god.Palace
gates are locked. I am stuck here for God knows how long. The Ooni of
Ife has gone to join his ancestors. A lot will happen.
chambers and lie on his bed one more time. But guess what..it had become
a ‘no go area’! To them, Kabiyesi is their dad but to everyone else he
was the king of kings. King of all the Yorubas. He was a god.Palace
gates are locked. I am stuck here for God knows how long. The Ooni of
Ife has gone to join his ancestors. A lot will happen.
“To the chiefs and palace guards, he is
Kabiyesi.To his kids, dad. They talk about everything. They swim in the
same pool. They talk to him the way we all talk to our fathers. To me,
the Late Ooni was one posh Oba. He wore the finest clothes and
jewelleries. His assistants were British. He spoke so well. The Ooni
kept the originality of the palace but pimped it more than you can
imagine. The throne rooms had the finest interiors.Horses, camels,
ostriches, peacocks all in the royal courts.”
Kabiyesi.To his kids, dad. They talk about everything. They swim in the
same pool. They talk to him the way we all talk to our fathers. To me,
the Late Ooni was one posh Oba. He wore the finest clothes and
jewelleries. His assistants were British. He spoke so well. The Ooni
kept the originality of the palace but pimped it more than you can
imagine. The throne rooms had the finest interiors.Horses, camels,
ostriches, peacocks all in the royal courts.”
Meet some of his kids|: