By Gbenga Olarinoye
Osogbo—The Giesi ruling house, one of the four recognised ruling houses in Ile-Ife, on Monday submitted the names of short-listed princes jostling to occupy the stool of the Ooni to the kingmakers of the town.

Entrance to the palace of the Ooni of Ife

Secretary of the family, Prince Adekunle Adelowo said yesterday that the names of the qualified princes were handed over to the kingmakers, led by the Obalufe of Ife, Oba Folorunso Omisakin.

According to him: ‘’Six out of the 31 princes from Giesi ruling house that submitted their letters of intention made the final list sent to the kingmakers on Monday.”

He gave the names of the qualified princes as Aderemi Adelowo, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Adegboyega Coker, Taiwo Ogunleye, Adetunji Ogunwusi and Okinawa Ologbenla.

He explained that the candidates emerged after several layers of screening conducted by the family to ensure that the best becomes the next Ooni of Ife.

Adekunle added that: “To get to where we are now, we need to set some criteria. One, the preferred candidate must be at least 50 years in age, not an under-aged person. The pedigree of the person is also very crucial.

“The person must have a good name among the people. He must understand the Ife people; understand Ife as a spiritual head of the Yoruba and the candidate must have full identity of the culture, religion and the people’s tradition,” he added.

Speaking on the final names sent to the kingmakers, one of the successful candidates from the ruling house, Prince Aderemi Adelowo expressed confidence in the kingmakers to pick the best of the six princes.

Another contestant to the throne, Ahmed Adewoyin, a lawyer, stated that only a genuine transparent consultation with Ifa Oracle and tradition during Ooni’s selection process would bring peace to the town.

He said each of the royal houses aspiring to the stool of Ooni must be represented by a representative with knowledge of Ifa oracle as an observer at the time and point of such consultation to select the best three.

Lafogido ruling house‘ll not concede right

Contrary to speculations from certain quarters, the Lafogido ruling House of Ile-Ife in Osun State has not conceded the vacant stool of the Ooni of Ife to the Giesi Ruling house or any other ruling house.

In a statement released by head of the ruling house, Sooko Adeleke Adewoyin, the Lafogido Ruling House “does not intend to and will never concede its right” to any other ruling house.

The statement added that contrary to the rumours making the rounds, the only authentic chieftaincy declaration of the Ooni of Ife chieftaincy title is the one gazetted in 1957, saying that there is no other one that can serve as reference on the Ooni of Ife chieftancy stool.