Sijuwade: formal announcement of death made

His death has now been traditionally confirmed and burial date fixed.

The monarch’s son, Adetokunbo, on Wednesday officially announced the death, saying he would be buried on Friday.

Addressing newsmen at the Government Office in Osogbo, the younger Sijuwade said that the body of the late monarch would be flown in from London on Thursday and buried on Friday at 10 a.m, thrashing earlier speculations that the body had been flown in earlier and kept in the palace at Ile-Ife.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the “ late Ooni represented the Yoruba nation and has done a lot in uplifting the traditional institution in the state.”

Aregbesola, who read the last text message he received from the Ooni at the briefing, said the late monarch informed him of his frail health, adding that he was travelling to London for treatment.

He described the death of the Ooni as a great loss to the state and the Yoruba race, stressing, however, that a king could not die in Yorubaland.

Oba Solomon Omisakin, the Obalufe of Iromo and Vice Chairman of the Ife Traditional Council as well as High Chief Joseph Ijaodola, the Lowa of Ile-Ife, both corroborated what Sijuwade said.

They expressed gratitude to the people of Osun and prayed that God would provide another king who would excel as the late Ooni did.

The press briefing was also attended by the Ooni’s daughter, Mrs Aderounmu Fadeyi, and members of Ife Traditional Council.

Oba Sijuwade, the 50th king of the ancient Yoruba town, died on 29 July in London. He was aged 85 and had reigned for 35 years. In line, with the dictates of the digital age, his death was announced by bloggers and news portals. But the traditionalists of Ile-Ife denied the report, because a King’s death is never announced the way it has been done.

Today, however, the King’s death was finally confirmed.