The Making Of Ooni of Ife: 35 Jostle For Seat From One Ruling House

No fewer than 35 contestants, from one of the ruling houses, have indicated their interests to succeed the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, who died on July 28 , in a London hospital. 

The contestants are those from the Giesi Ruling House alone, which is one of the four ruling houses in Ile Ife. It was gathered that the leadership of the ruling house has set up a committee to screen the contestants to ensure that unqualified persons were not included among its candidates.

The committee headed by Prince Ropo Ogunwusi, it was gathered, had submitted its report to Prince Modupe Fadehan, who is the head of the family. The ruling house, it was gathered, asked the committee to come up with six contestants whose names would be forwarded to the kingmakers before the end of this week.