As people of Ile-Ife  wait for new Ooni…

Prince Ogunleye who contested with late Oba Sijuwade opens up on the process, says ‘it is the turn of my family (Giesi ruling house) to produce next monarch’

Since the announcement of the passage of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse 11 was made, a lot of princes from the ancient city of Ile-Ife believed to be the cradle of the Yoruba race have been signifying intention to occupy the vacant stool. This development necessitated var­ious intrigues and calculations among princes of Ile-Ife.

However, Prince Peter Adetola Ogunl­eye, an 83-year-old lawyer and Prince from the Giesi ruling house of More quarters in Ile-Ife believed that the stool of Ooni, which is a highly revered one not only in Yoruba land but in the world at large can­not just be occupied by any individual who has no right to royalty by birth or lineage. The octogenarian prince, who contested with the late Oba Sijuwade in 1980 when the stool became vacant following the de­mise of Oba Adesoji Aderemi, recently de­clared that his family which was denied the right to produce the Ooni of Ife since 1894 when the representative of his ruling house reigned in Ile-Ife is prepared to ensure that the family presents a candidate who will occupy the highly referred stool of the Ooni of Ife.

Prince Ogunleye, in this interview with BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, recalled how his family signified intention to occupy the stool of Ooni in 1930 but denied, add­ing that similar thing repeated itself in 1980 when he attempted to be made the Ooni of Ife, but lost to Oba Sijuwade despite legal battles.

Excerpts:

How would you react to the de­mise of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okun­ade Sijuwade who recently passed on?

The death of Oba Sijuwade was a great loss to Ile-Ife, Osun State and the Yoruba race in general. Ooni was an institution, so his demise has created a great vacuum. We only take solace in the fact that he lived a fulfilled life worthy of emulation. But, his­tory will never forget the late Oba Sijuwade who reigned for 35 eventful years. His reign was full of great achievements and we will surely miss him. His death was no doubt the end of an era in Yoruba nation and the world at large.

As a prince in Ile-Ife, is there any existing ascendancy order for the ruling houses in the town?

There are four ruling houses in Ile-Ife and the four houses are Giesi, Lafogido, Osinko­la and Ogboru. The last time an Ooni from the Giesi ruling house reigned was in 1894 and the Ooni then was Oba Derin Ologbe­hunla. My own great grandfather, known as Ooni Kunbusi, reigned between 1849 and 1878. In other words, the last time we occupied the throne of Ooni was in 1894. However, the order of ascendancy remains the same. After the Ogboru ruling house where Oba Sijuwade hailed from, it is the Giesi ruling house. So, it is the turn of my family to produce the next Ooni of Ife.

Why were you denied the right to ascend the throne in 1980?

In 1930, my family was de­nied the right to occupy the throne of the Ooni of Ife. So, in 1980, I signified the intention to occupy the throne. I made at­tempts to ascend the throne of the Ooni of Ife, having all rights to do so, but I could not get to the throne, rather Oba Sijuwade was installed the Ooni of Ife. My family went to court to challenge the action of the kingmakers but we couldn’t have our way. The chieftaincy declaration of 1980 shows that it was the turn of the Giesi ruling house to present the Ooni of Ife after Oba Adesoji Aderemi but our attempts to get to the throne failed. So, we believe it is now the turn of the Giesi ruling house to present the new Ooni of Ife and we are already expecting a letter of notification from the state govern­ment. Because the chieftaincy acts guid­ing the selection and appointment of the Ooni of Ife states that “the Secretary of the competent council shall not later than 14 days after the occurrence of the vacancy announce the name of the ruling house en­titled according to customary law to provide a candidate or candidates as the case may be to fill that vacancy.” We are yet to receive the letter from the relevant authority, but we are expecting the letter, knowing full well that it is now our turn to produce the next Ooni of Ife.

What are the necessary pro­cesses for the selection of Ooni of Ife and did you fail in any of the laydown regulations when you were denied the right to the throne?

The first stage is that the government writes to the next ruling house to present a candidate or candidates as the case may be. After this stage, the family will meet and agree on the candidates and later send the name or names of the candidate or candidates to the kingmakers. The name or names will later be forwarded to the state government. The king­makers will later present the name or names to Ifa priest because the Ifa oracle is a con­firming authority in the selection of an Ooni of Ife. In fact, consultation of Ifa oracle is a condition precedent in the selection of the Ooni of Ife. After confirmation by the Ifa oracle, the name or names will be presented to the state government for approval and in­stallation is done by the traditional kingmak­ers, while the state governor presents staff of office to the monarch.

In 1980 when I signified intention to con­test for the stool of Ooni, my family, the Giesi ruling house, was not presented with the letter of notification by the government, we only believed it was the turn of my family and I signified intention.

Can you give a list of the Ooni who have ruled from the Giesi rul­ing house?

Giesi ruled after Ogboru, his maternal grandfather and after him Ademilokun popu­larly called Agbedegbede ruled, then Ajila Orunorun ruled and later to Gbegbaaje to Degbin Kunbusu, my own great grandfather and later to Orayigba Ogbagba known as Ay­ikiti ninu aran and after him was Oba Derin Ologbehunla who reigned died in 1894.

Why did the family not rule in the 19th century, did you not present candidates when the stool became vacant?

We always showed interest in the stool whenever there was vacancy, but we were always denied. In 1930, we attempted but Oba Adesoji Aderemi was selected and ap­pointed the Ooni, in 1980, I was presented by the Giesi ruling house, but Oba Okun­ade Sijuwade from the Ogboru ruling house emerged. It is important for me to say that in 1980 when I contested there was a chief­taincy declaration, which stated that Giesi was the next ruling house. It was a registered declaration, but we couldn’t have our way in the long run. So, the bottom line is that it is now the turn of Giesi ruling house to produce Ooni.

What efforts are you making to ensure that the family is not de­nied the right to produce the next Ooni now?

The head of the ruling house, Prince J.M Fadehan and the Secretary, Prince Kunle Adelowo, have been calling meetings and with my help, we have been holding meet­ings from time to time since the demise of Oba Sijuwade was announced. We are not leaving any chance this time round. We are making efforts to get a letter of notifica­tion from the government as the next rul­ing house. However, we are not folding our arms expecting letter, we are making ef­forts to get the letter from the government. The law is clear on the ruling house that will produce the next Ooni of Ife, and Giesi rul­ing house is the one. So, the government cannot do otherwise, because the law is clear on that and there is an existing ascend­ancy order which favours us in Giesi ruling house.

But, there are moves by some princes from other ruling houses to also ascend the throne of the Ooni of Ife.

It is a normal thing. We did the same thing when it was not the turn of our family in 1930, we showed interest in 1980 and, in fact, we went to court. So, it is normal. I know the present administration in Osun State will not breach any provision of the law. The present government in Osun respects the law and won’t break it for any reason.

How do you ensure that there is no crisis within the family consid­ering the fact that many princes may show interest in the contest?

We shall manage the situation within the family, because many people will definitely show interest within the family and they all have the right to do so. However, the fam­ily is made up of people of high integrity and we shall do everything possible to en­sure that our good name and integrity are not soiled. We are already managing the situation and we shall continue to do that.

An individual claimed that the late Ooni, Oba Sijuwade anoint­ed him as his successor, will this not affect the interest of your own family?

It is not possible for the late Ooni to have endorsed or anointed any person before his demise. Did he know he would pass on when he did? It’s all about ambition and nothing else. I doubt if there was any anointed candi­date by Oba Sijuwade.

What does the tradition of Ile-Ife say about the conditions a prince must meet to ascend the throne of Ooni of Ife?

The prince must come from the male line­age that is the first condition, which is the most important one. Ooni is an institution and wealth is not a condition at all, because when you ascend the throne, wealth will automatically come. Ooni remains an insti­tution and so will it be. The throne attracts wealth, so it is not necessary to have wealth before one emerges an Ooni.

Wealth is not an essential qualification for an aspirant to be considered suitable for the throne as the main objective is to select the best candidate. The qualities considered as most important are good integrity, gener­osity, humility and willingness to listen to advice and take counsel.

Gender is also an important qualifica­tion for the throne as only male contenders are eligible, even if consideration is being given to candidates from the female side of the lineage. Seniority is also not a factor al­though the candidate must be at least about 30 years old at the time of ascending the throne and he should be married. Neither is education a prescribed qualification although during the last two selections, education played a major factor for consideration of who ascends the throne.”

For how long does the tradition allow Ile-Ife being the cradle of the Yoruba race to be without a tradi­tional ruler?

In 1980 when Oba Adesoji Aderemi passed on, it only took two months before a new traditional ruler in person of Oba Oku­nade Sijuwade emerged. Oba Aderemi died on July 2, 1980 and Oba Sijuwade was in­stalled in September of the same year. The culture of Ile-Ife does not allow long va­cancy for the stool of Ooni. The Ooni is the symbol of Yoruba race, so a long vacuum should not be created after the demise of an Ooni. The custom and culture do not allow long interregnum in Ile-Ife.

Who oversees the affairs of the kingdom before the installation of a new Ooni, or will the palace be closed?

The Obalufe of Ife and the Lowa of Ife are to take charge of the affairs of the town before the appointment of a new Ooni. They are to manage both the outer and inner affairs of the palace pending the appointment of a new Ooni. The two of them will manage the outer and inner chiefs as well.

Has money been changing hands within your ruling house?

I will be deceiving myself to say that mon­ey will not change hands, definitely it will, but I’m not aware of such now. We have been holding our meetings peacefully and I have been co-ordinating the meetings with the con­sent of the head of the family, Prince Fadehan. In the past, the confirming authority with­in the family was the Araba, who is an Ifa priest. Now, the family will send the name of the candidates to the kingmakers who later consult Ifa oracle. They must consult the ora­cle to know how the reign of the new tradi­tional ruler will be.

Is it right for a prince to hold a chieftaincy title of any kind in Ile- Ife?

It is very wrong. A prince will only aspire to be a traditional ruler who will install other people as chiefs. So, in Ile-Ife and other Yor­uba towns and villages, a prince doesn’t take honorary chieftaincy titles for any reason.

What are your attainments aside aspiring to be an Ooni of Ife?

I am by the grace of God a successful lawyer in Ile-Ife and Nigeria at large. I had my primary education in my father’s vil­lage; Ogunleye, Ladugbo in Ife South Lo­cal Government Area of Osun State and completed the primary education at Saint Paul’s Primary School, Ayegbaju, Ile-Ife, later went to Oduduwa College also in Ile-Ife and finished in 1957. I worked as a clerk in Ibadan for a few years before I travelled to Great Britain in 1960 and en­rolled in Inner Temple Inn, Council of Le­gal Education, London and I attended one of the best Colleges of Law at that time. I completed my Legal education in 1963 and was called to the English bar in 1964 and later returned to Nigeria where I attended the Nigerian Law School for three months and was later called to the bar in 1964. I start­ed my legal practice in the chambers of the late Chief DRO Omisore and when he be­came the President of the Customary Court, I went to the Chambers of the late Chief J A Adeyefa. Since then, I had been in private legal practice.

I had a stint in politics as I was elected a councillor in 1972, and in 1976, I was elect­ed a councillor too representing Moore ward. I contested with the late Chief Remilekun Fani Kayode to the Constituent Assembly in 1977 and defeated him with only one vote. I represented the defunct Oranmiyan Local Government at the Constituent Assembly.

In 1979, the late Chief Bola Ige ap­pointed me Chairman, Broadcasting Cor­poration of Oyo State (BCOS), a position I held till 1982 and later I was moved to the Local Government Service Commission, Oyo State. I was later asked to combine my office with that of the Chairman, Oyo State Pension board which I did meritori­ously under Bola Ige. I used my position at BCOS to facilitate the establishment of a ra­dio station in Ile-Ife, now known as Orisun FM in Oketase, Ile-Ife.