Fear as Ooni arrives Traditional Council meeting late

There was palpable fear and a mild drama on Wednesday when the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II arrived a meeting of the Osun Traditional Council.

The meeting, our correspondent, learnt was the first the Ooni would be having with the traditional rulers and the maiden meeting for 2016.

It was learnt that some of the traditional rulers had begun to nurse fear when the Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran almost kick-started the meeting without Ooni’s presence.

It would be recalled that barely one week to the official presentation of staff and instrument of office to the 41-year-old Ooni Ogunwusi,  when the Owa while briefing the press at the end of the Obas, monthly meeting in Osogbo said his councils’ members have unanimously appointed him the substantive chairman of the state traditional council of Obas.

Oba Aromolaran acted as the chairman of the state council of Obas after the demise of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okuade Sijuwade on July 28 2015.

Our correspondent learnt that at the commencement of the meeting, the Owa sat in the position expected to be occupied by the Ooni.

“When the Ooni arrived, the atmosphere changed. His aides brought a personal white chair for him. That really made him special and his comportment was royal, ” one of the monarchs told Daily Times correspondent.

Narrating how the proceedings went during the meeting, another traditional ruler said, tension only reduced when the Owa introduced himself as the Deputy.

“The acting Chairman when he was introducing himself said he was the Deputy Chairman. It means he recognised the head,” the monarch said.

While speaking to our correspondent, the Onigbaye of Igbaiyeland Odo-Otin Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty, Oba Joseph Okunola-Oni‎, said protocol was followed during the meeting.

He added, “The meeting went on fantastic because it happens to be the first meeting of the year and the first time the newly coronated Ooni of Ife will have a meeting with us. It was successful.

“There is no cause for alarm. The king was introduced to everyone of us officially, especially his office as representative of Oduduwa and we embraced him.

“It’s just a ‘mis-protocol’. We at the Council recognise the Ooni as the Chairman. It has been gazetted and nobody can upturn that. He came here for the first time and he cannot say that of his status, he should should begin to lead or moderate. During the interrugnum, somebody had to act. The person acting is not the substantial chairman. If anybody is calling the person the chairman, it is not the wishes of all the members of the Council of Oba. We only recognise Ooni of Ile-Ife as the permanent Chairman, so no dispute about it.”

It was also learnt that a petition was treated during the meeting.

Responding to that, Oba Okunola-oni said, “The petition written were in respect of Olofin. One of the consenting authorities wrote to fight for his right not on the issue of Ooni.”

Among the traditional rulers sigthed at the meeting were: ‎Timi of Ede; Olobu; Olokuku; Odundun IV; Adedeji. Akirun of Ikirun; Alayegun of Odeomu; Olu of Wakajaye; Oba agun; and Olokun.

Others are Awara; Lowa Adimula; HRM Olunisa; Elerin and Olukoyi.

DAILY TIMES NIGEERIA