Ooni of Ife 'Oba Sijuwade' dies at 82

Oba Okunade Sijuwade the Ooni of Ife joins his ancestors at the age of 85. He died after a brief illness in a London hospital.

The death of the Oba has not being officially announced, this is a culture which  which stipulates that the death of a traditional ruler cannot be announced until some rituals are done. Oba Okunade lived from 1st January 1930 – July 28, 2015.

The late Oba became the Ooni of Ife at age 50, coincidentally he was the 50th Ooni of Ife, a ceremony attended by notable traditional leaders and rulers like himself. He ruled for about 34 years.

The Oba hails from a notable royal family in Ile-Ife, the Ogboru house. On his coronation he was given a monumental name Olubuse II, his predecessor Oba Sijuwade Adelekan was the Olubuse I.

Oba Okunade who did both primary and secondary education all in Ile-Ife worked with Chief Obafemi Awolowo at the Nigerian tribune and before then he ran his father’s business for a period of 3 years, he later went to the United Kingdom for further studies before touring Europe for further training. He then became a successful business man and had investment in almost all sectors of the Nigerian economy.

He was one of the country’s most revered royal fathers and custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition.
Source: http://www.thewhistler.ng/story/ooni-of-ife-oba-sijuwade-dies-at-82