Ooni of Ife is hale and hearty-Ife Royal Council tells Osun Governor

The Royal Traditional Council of Ife have insisted the Ooni of Ife is alive during a close door meeting on Thursday with Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The delegates first told the governor in the presence of some journalists that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, was alive, contrary to the news in the media.

The chiefs, led by the Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola,  said it was regrettable that the Ooni was always a target of negative publicity in the media.

The Lowa said, 

“We were all shocked when we heard the rumour of baba’s death. If at all such an incident had occurred, the Royal Traditional Council of Ife would be the first to know and equally break the news to the entire public.

“Sixteen of us are his chiefs and when he was travelling out, he didn’t look like he was going to die and should such a thing have happened to him, we would have been informed even before anyone would hear about it. We pray that Ooni Sijuade will live long in good health.

  Governor Aregbesola commended the chiefs for holding the throne while Oba Sijade was away.He also  prayed for sound health and long life for the monarch.