It is forbidden to express aspiration to succeed a reigning monarch, but there is no denying that all eyes have turned in the directions of the Osinkola ruling house to produce Oba Sijuwade’s successor.
In Yorubaland, it is unheard off and indeed a taboo for anybody to aspire to the throne of a sitting monarch. Hence, nobody wants to be identified with such aspiration.
There has been no formal announcement of the death of Oba Sijuwade, who was reportedly flown to London last week unconscious from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in an air ambulance and reportedly died at St. Mary’s Royal Hospital in Paddington, London.
Although the Royal Traditional Council of Ile-Ife has since denied the reported demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, the Ooni of Ife, insisting that the paramount ruler is alive and well.
But as the Council battled to dispel the report of the revered monarch’s death, news emerged that the Osinkola ruling house, one of the four ruling houses in the ancient city, is poised to produce the next Ooni.
There are four ruling houses in Ile-Ife, namely Lafogido, Giesi, Ogbooru and Osinkola.
The battle for succession has been narrowed down to the Ademiluyi Royal Family, the main branch of the Osinkola ruling house.
While Oba Okunade Sijuwade is from the Ogboru ruling house, his predecessor, Oba Adesoji Aderemi, was from Giesi ruling house and for now, the two ruling houses will be exempted from nominating any candidate for the stool.
As it is now, at least five members of the Ademiluyi royal family are being touted as top contenders.
They include Princes Ademola Ademiluyi, an octogenarian, lawyer and a close confidant of Chief Rasaq Okoya; Yinka Ademiluyi, a septuagenarian socialite. While age may not be on the side of the duo, same cannot be said of Prince Gboyega Ademiluyi, a wealthy, urbane and highly successful oil magnate described as a man in tune with the culture, tradition and history of Ile Ife.
Others are Prince Adebambo Ademiluyi, in his mid-sixties, he is a notable alumni of Kings College, Lagos but a very influential contender is Prince Adekanmi Ademiluyi, a retired journalist in his late 50s.
Adekanmi’s mother is from the popular Peregrino family of Lagos Island and he is a former editor of The Punch newspapers. He is a close friend of Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and a diehard loyalist of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the APC.
Meet notable Ademiluyi Princes who may become the next Ooni of Ife
