Ooni Of Ife: Oba Sijuwade’s Body Arrives Palace From London

The remains of the Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade, has arrived his palace in Ile Ife.

the body of the paramount ruler left London in a chartered air ambulance on Friday and was taken to the palace under the cover of darkness.

The body is now lying in a secluded part of the palace called Ilegbo, a sacred place where all Oonis commune with their ancestors.

Ilegbo, is the place where highly-prized rituals take place within the confinement of the palace.

MORE AFTER THE CUT......................................

It is also the place where the Are beaded crown, worn annually by the Ooni, is kept.

The Are crown is usually worn through the back because it is forbidden for the Ooni to see the inside of the beaded crown. And when it is worn, the rain must not touch it.
 

Only the monarch’s male children and highly ranked priests and chiefs are allowed to access that innermost recess of the palace and sight the Ooni’s remains.

“Even the Oba’s female children can’t come here, tradition does not allow them to sight the Oba at this time,”

Those who should know said the traditional chiefs had to declare the annual Oro festival on Friday in expectation of the arrival of the corpse.

The commencement of the Oro festival, signalled the beginning of the final rites of passage for the departed Ooni.

The Oro is expected to last seven days after which the Ooni would be committed to mother earth at a private ceremony within the palace.

Palace sources said the announcement of the Oba’s passing had to be delayed to allow his wives and family members move their personal belongings from the palace, and for the traditional priests to perform some “compulsory rituals”.