We should produce next Ooni – Giesi House

The Giesi Ruling House in Ile-Ife has said it is its turn to produce the next Ooni to succeed Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who joined his ancestors   on July 28.

Leaders of the ruling house led by Princes Adelowo Ogunleye; Ropo Ogunwusi and Prof. Moses Awogbade said this at a press conference addressed at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre, Osogbo on Monday.

Ogunleye, who read the prepared speech of the family said it was the turn of the ruling house based on the government declaration on the Ooni chieftaincy title in 1977.

He said another memorandum issued by the old Oyo State Government dated September 16th 1980 on the appointment of the Ooni provided for four ruling houses: Osinkola, Ogboru, Giesi and Lafogido in that order.

He said, “We want to seize this opportunity to tell the whole world especially the people of Ile-Ife and government of the State of Osun ably headed by our amiable and indefatigable governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, that the normal rotation to the succession to the throne of Ooni which is in vogue in Ile-Ife presently, has ascertained to the fact that it is now the turn of Giesi Ruling House Moore Ile Fe to produce the next Ooni of Ife by the special grace of God almighty.

“It is on record as indicated by the government declaration captioned ‘The Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy Declaration’ reference no CB141/7/1/540 dated 22nd August, 1977 addressed to the then Executive Secretary of Oranmiyan Local Government Ile-Ife from the office of Military Governor of Oyo State of Nigeria and duly signed by the then Secretary to the Military Government and Head of Service.

“Paragraph a in the letter states that the order of rotation among the ruling houses should be as follows: ( 1) Osinkola (2) Ogboru (3) Giesi (4) Lafogido.

“We want all and sundry to please note that the Osinkola House produced our father Oba Adesoji Aderemi who ruled for 50 years in Ile-Ife and was immediately succeeded by Oba Okunade Sijuwade from Ogboru House who has just transited. It then follows that the next ruling house to produce the next Ooni of Ife should automatically and normally come from Giesi Ruling House as the government approved rotational arrangements.”