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