Yemi Adebowale
Osun State Government announced the appointment of a new Ooni of Ife.in the wee hours of Monday October 26, 2015.
He is Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi of the Giesi Ruling House of Ile-Ife.
A statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti said the announcement of the appointment of new Ooni was sequel to the completion of the due process by the kingmakers and the communication of their decision to the government.
The statement which was communicated to the media by 2:43am was dated 24th October 2015.
It would be recalled that the immediate past Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II joined his ancestors on 24th June 2015 after a brief illness at Saint Mary Hospital in United Kingdom.
His demise was also followed by that of the Obalufe, Oba Solomon Folorunsho Omisakin who passed on last week.
Omisakin is the second in command to the Ooni. He is supposed to make public the choice of a new Ooni being the head of all traditional chiefs and kingmakers.
But Ogunwusi was announced even in the absence of Obalufe whose function is to make public the decision of the kingmakers.
No date has been fixed for coronation of the new Ooni but Osinkola and some section of Giesi Ruling Houses are still in court on the selection process.
While Osinkola Ruling House is challenging the resolve and decision of the state government and kingmakers to restrict the selection of new Ooni to the Giesi Ruling House saying it is against the tradition and customs of Ile-Ife, some royal compounds within Giesi frowned at the manner the selection committee headed by Professor Aderibigbe conducted the selection processes alleging that it was skewed to favour Agbedegbede royal compound and in particular Ogunwusi.
The announcement of Ogunwusi as the new Ooni by the state government was despite these two court cases as the third case filled by Lafogido Ruling House has just been dismissed by the court on the ground that it lack jurisdiction to hear the suit.
Lafogido was about instituting a fresh suit when the announcement of Ogunwusi was made by both the kingmakers and the state government.
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