Ife Palace warns residents to stay indoors for Oro deity

According to latest reports from News24,residents of the ancient town of Ile-Ife, have been warned to remain indoors for the Oro deity to observe the final funeral rite for the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

It was observed that the palace town criers were going round the town announcing that residents, especially commercial drivers and motorcyclists should stay indoors between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.

This will enable the Oro deity perform necessary rite for the departed monarch.

It was gathered that the Head of Oro Cult in Ife, the Awara of Iwara, Oba Layi Adereti had ordered the curfew, warning that anyone who flouted the order, irrespective of age or gender would face its consequences.

However, residents were apprehensive of the stay at home order as many of them rushed to the few available markets to get essentials that will last them for the day.

It would be recalled that major market places in Ife had been shut since last week Friday when the burial rites started.

Although, some markets in Mayfair and its environs have been in operation

As a result of the curfew, some Heads of Departments in the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife cancelled the continuous assessment tests for their students earlier scheduled to hold on Saturday.

Some students, who reside off campus, have been advised to remain indoors in compliance with the Oro cult order.

Also, hundreds of commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as "Okada riders" were seen on Friday distributing a hand bill to their colleagues, warning them against operating in Ife on Saturday.

The Vice President of the Okada Riders Association, Ile-Ife chapter, Idowu Akamo, told NAN that the fliers became imperative because some members of the association were always busy and might not have heard the town criers while making the announcement.

He said that many of the residents as well as the Okada riders had thought the mourning period would end on Aug. 21, adding that many residents were surprised when they heard the stay-at-home order.

According to him, the Oro people should not be dared because the consequences might be disastrous, saying the association will not like to lose its members because of disobedience.

It would be recalled that the Oro cult had on penultimate Friday, after the inter-religious farewell service for the monarch in Ife, asked residents of Ife to stay at home from 4 p.m. till dawn for the next seven days in continuation of the final rites of the late Sijuade.

Many residents had respected the order and were thinking it had ended on Friday but got a shock when the curfew order came on Saturday.

- NAN

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Tradition Forbids Late Ooni Of Ife's Wives From Re-Marrying

According to reports gathered by 'The Nation', the wives of the late‎ Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the Olubuse II, by tradition cannot re-marry after the demise of their husband.The late Ooni’s wives are Oloris Morisola, Ladun, Odunayo, Adedolapo and Linda and their ages are between 40’s and 60’s.
The chief, who preferred to be anonymous, said the order was prescribed by the Ife tradition since the Ooni is not considered dead but to have transited to a higher realm.
Maintaining that the Ooni still lives, he said it is forbidden for wives left behind by Oba Sijuwade to re-marry.
He said:

“The rules is general and applies to all Ooni that has passed on and not peculiar to the wives of Oba Sijuwade, the immediate past Ooni. There may not be a clearly defined repercussion against the tradition but it is advisable that the order is obeyed at all times and for all generations. The best that can happen to the oloris left behind by any late Ooni is for them to remain single or be inherited by the reigning Ooni.”
He added that it does not matter whether the wives are young or old, “what matters is that the tradition must be sustained in the overall interest of the society.”

The late Ooni’s wives are Oloris Morisola, Ladun, Odunayo, Adedolapo and Linda and their ages are between 40’s and 60’s.

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