Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II Dies at 85

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, yesterday died at the age of 85
in a London hospital after a brief illness.


Although there was no official confirmation from the traditional
ruler's palace yesterday, THISDAY reports that the news on the death
of the Oba, whose official title was His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade
Sijuwade Olubuse II, was communicated to the Osun State Governor, Rauf
Aregbesola yesterday.


According to sources, "The state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has just
been briefed on the development that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade
Sijuwade, is dead."


Officially, Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade was born on January 1,
1930. He became the 50th traditional ruler or Ooni of Ife at the age
of 50 in 1980, taking the regnal name Olubuse II.


According to Wikipedia, the late Ooni was crowned on December 6, 1980
in a ceremony attended by his close friend and business partner, the
late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero; the Oba of Benin, Omo n'Oba
n'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa I; the Amayanabo of Opobo; and Olu of
Warri, as well as by representatives of the Queen of England.


Born in Ile-Ife to the Ogbooru ruling house, Sijuwade was the grandson
of the Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. He studied at Abeokuta
Grammar School and Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife.


He worked for three years in his father's business, then for two years
with the Nigerian Tribune, before attending Northampton College in the
United Kingdom to study business management.


By the age of 30, he was a manager in Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian
conglomerate. In 1963, he became Sales Director of the state-owned
National Motors in Lagos. After spotting a business opportunity during
a 1964 visit to the Soviet Union, he formed a company to distribute
Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria, which became the
nucleus of a widespread business empire.


He also invested in real estate in his hometown of Ile Ife. By the
time Sijuwade was crowned Ooni in 1980 he had become a wealthy man.
Sijuwade was a Christian. In November 2009, he attended the annual
general meeting of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria accompanied
by 17 other traditional rulers.


He declared that he was a full member of the church, and said all the
monarchs who accompanied him would now become members. At his birthday
celebration two months later, the Primate of the Anglican Communion
described Sijuwade as "a humble monarch, who has the fear of God at
heart".


As the Ooni of Ife or Ile Ife, the late Oba Sijuwade presided over
what is believed to be the cradle of Yorubaland. Accordingly, the Oòni
of Ife claims direct descent from Oduduwa, the mythical son of
Olodumare – the supreme God – and is counted first among the Yoruba
kings.


He is traditionally considered the 401st spirit (Orisha), the only one
that speaks. In fact, the royal dynasty of Ife traces its origin back
to the founding of the city more than 2,000 years ago.


Following the formation of the Yoruba Orisha Congress in 1986, the
Ooni acquired an international status, the like of which the holders
of his title had not held since the city's colonisation by the
British.


The late Oba left behind his wives, his first son Prince Tokunbo
Sijuwade, and several other children.

-ThisDay