KROCCITYONTV NEWS: Ooni: Aregbesola meets Ife Royal Council behind closed-doors

From Clement Adeyi, Osogbo

Sequel to the controversies that trailed the demise of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, since Wednesday, members of Ife Royal Traditional Council (RTC), the umbrella body of all traditional titleholders from Ile Ife, yesterday met Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, behind closed-doors.

The meeting, which was held at Osun State Government House, Oke-Fia, Osogbo lasted for about 10 minutes.

Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola, led the council to the meeting. The secretary of the body, Chief Adetoye Odewole was also in attendance.

Also in attendance were top officials of Osun State Government that are indigenes of Ile Ife, led by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare.

 Others are former members of the state House of Assembly, Adetilewa Sijuade, former commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Home Affairs, Mr. Sikiru Ayedun, Special Adviser to the governor on Youth and Sports, Mr. Biyi Odunlade.

There had been insinuations earlier in the day that the chiefs would be visiting the governor to formally break the news of the monarch’s death, but at the first meeting held in the presence of newsmen, Oba Ijaodola, who is next in rank to Oba Sijuade, reiterated their previous stand that Ooni was alive and hale and hearty.
Oba Ijaodola told Governor Aregbesola that they were in his residence to update him about developments around Oba Sijuade and regretted that Ooni was a target of negative publicity with the press declaring him dead several times in the past.

The monarch said: “We were all shocked when we heard the rumour. If at all such an incident had happened, the traditional council would be the first to know and equally break the news to the entire public.
“Sixteen of us are his chiefs and when he was travelling out, he did not look like he was going to die and should that have happened to him, we would have been informed even before anyone would hear about it. We pray that Ooni Sijuade will live long in good health.”

Responding, Aregbesola commended the chiefs for holding forth while Ooni Sijade was away. He then prayed for sound health and long life for Oba Sijuade.

The governor and the chiefs later proceeded to another room within the Governor’s Lodge to hold another meeting.

The chiefs, however, declined comments after meeting with the governor.