A traditional festival, Oro, has been declared in Ile Ife, despite the uncertainty surrounding the reported death of Oba Okunade Sijuade, the Ooni of Ife.
Palace sources dismissed claims that the festival had anything to do with the state of health of the Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, explaining that there were certain rites that must have been performed, apart from the ongoing Oro Festival, before the news will be officially broken.
According to the source who pleaded anonymity, “one of the conditions will be to shut down markets in Ile Ife, symbolic jingling of royal gong across town and appearance of the dreaded Isogun, a chief that only makes appearance at Ile Oodua at the demise of the Ooni.
He continued: “A particular door at the backyard of Ooni’s palace that had been permanently closed since December 1980 when Ooni Sijuwade ascended the throne would be opened to indicate that the throne is vacant. All these have not happened.
“Until all these conditions manifest, it cannot be concluded that the Ooni has joined his ancestors. I live here in the palace and we believe Baba (Ooni) is still alive in the United Kingdom.
“Preparation is in top gear for the marriage of his son at the Victoria Island in Lagos on Sunday. I can’t confirm if he will appear in person at the event but that marriage is what is engaging all of us now,” the source stated.
On the ongoing Oro festival, he said: “The ongoing Oro just coincided with these controversies about Baba (Ooni) . It is usually held around this period every year.”
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