As the Osun State Government initiates the process for the selection of new Ooni of Ile-Ife, the Giesi Ruling House of Ile-Ife has set up another screening committee to verify all the 17 contenders that have shown interest to contest the vacant stool.
A reliable source on Tuesday informed in Osogbo that the screening committee superseded the one earlier put in place to collate and ascertain the intention of all the candidates.
No fewer than 31 candidates had signified interest to occupy the stool before they were reduced to 17.
The local government areas in Ile-Ife have been mandated by the state government through a letter from the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to invite the ruling house to present candidate(s) to fill the stool.
It was gathered that at the time of filling this report, the two local government councils had written to the ruling house conveying the decision of the state government and Ife kingmakers restricting the chances to fill the stool to Giesi Ruling House based on the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration as the only document relied upon.
While speaking with journalists at the Ooni’s palace on Monday, the Obalufe of Ife, Oba Solomon Folorunsho Omisakin, said the Ife traditional chiefs and kingmakers had unanimously affirmed and confirmed that the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration was the one in existence, asking other ruling houses such as Osinkola, Ogboru and Lafogido to wait for their turns.
One of the leading contestants to the Ooni stool, Prince Sikiru Adetona Ayedun and immediate past Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, lauded the state government and Ife kingmakers for standing by the truth.
While stressing that the 1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration was a reliable document Ayedun expressed hope that his emergence as the next Ooni would bring development and progress to the ancient city.
He explained that there were nine branches in the ruling house, assuring that the new committee would do justice and be alive to its responsibilities at ensuring that a more acceptable candidate becomes the next Ooni.
The former commissioner who said he does not have godfathers to assist him on the mission, added that he would be a good Ooni of Ife if chosen.
Another candidate to the stool, the source added, Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi, also making moves on the contest to the throne was said not to be known to Ife tradition and custom.
“His ascendancy to the throne of Ooni of Ife may not be in the interest of Ife for peace and progress,” the source contend.
However, Ahmed Aderoju Adewoyin from Abewela Royal Compound (under Lafogido Ruling House) has pointed out that for the sake of justice and to avoid unending litigation or disgraceful legal dethronement of illegal Ooni, due process must be duly followed.
He also noted that the gazetted 1957chieftaincy declaration being the only gazetted document on the selection of Ooni must be resorted to fully which he said showed that Giesi House waived its turn to Ogboru House in 1980.
Prince Adewoyin however called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the state Governor Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to seriously look into the matter in order to avoid unending litigation, urging that due process must be taken into consideration.
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