Drama At Ooni’s Palace As Wives, Children Barred From Burial

The final burial rites of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, was performed on Friday, but his wives, children and family members were unable to pay their last respects as they were barred from the programme.

Some other people who had expected to see the body of the monarch lie in state were also disappointed as his remains were neither brought out for people to see nor was any casket displayed during the burial service.

The event was attended by the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Rear Admiral Akin Aduwo (retd.), Gen. Alani Akinriande (retd.), Senator Babajide Omoworare, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko and many other dignitaries and government representatives.

Traditional prayers were offered for the late monarch by Tadimole Awo Ilare, Chief Faloba. The event was conducted in less than three hours.

A source at the palace told one of our correspondents that no member of the royal family was allowed to see the remains of the monarch since he was brought back to the palace.

He said, “As we are holding this interdenominational service here, those concerned are performing their own rites inside the palace where the body is kept.

“You can see that the gates of the palace are locked and nobody is allowed to go inside. Nobody can see him again except those who will bury him.

“The wives and children were not even supposed to see his corpse at all but tradition was broken this time around because he (Sijuwade) died in London. But no family member can see him again. Those performing the rites are there now and they will complete it today (Friday). He will be buried in the middle of the night, but nobody will be there apart from those who will lower him into the grave.”

The source said those who saw the bodies of the previous Oonis were attacked by smallpox and did not survive the ailment.

Women barred

Also, our correspondents learnt that as part of the palace tradition and custom, women are forbidden from entering the palace while traditional rites are being performed for a passing monarch.

As the interdenominational service was going on, sounds of gunshots suddenly rent the air, making some of those present at the service to scamper for safety.

A reliable source told Saturday Punch that more gunshots would be fired later in the day, as from 5.00 pm, adding that curfew to last for seven days would start by 4.00 pm on Friday.

One of the palace chiefs, Sooko Adelugba, told one of our correspondents that many parts of the town had already been deserted by residents who were eager to comply with the curfew as announced by the palace.

One of the initiates told one of our correspondents who had tried to interview him that it was an abomination to speak publicly of traditional rites offered for a departed Ooni.

His final resting place

Meanwhile, fresh facts have emerged as to why the monarch would be buried beside the immediate past Ooni, Oba Adesoji Aderemi.

It was gathered that the cemetery inside the palace, where other Oonis were buried, was full, which informed the decision to build a mausoleum inside the palace for Oba Aderemi.

Punch