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10 years after, family, others to celebrate Ooni Okunade Sijuade in grand style

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3 days ago

FAMILY of the late Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse, has officially unveiled events to mark the 10th anniversary of the revered monarch’s passing.

According to the family, the celebration of the late monarch is aimed at showcasing the enduring legacy of the iconic Ooni.

This was disclosed on Tuesday in Lagos by the family of the late monarch and organisers of the event during a press conference

The memorial programme, curated to reflect the life, leadership, and far-reaching impact of Oba Sijuwade, will span intellectual debates, cultural exhibitions, spiritual reflections, and legacy-building initiatives.

Aptly themed ‘A Decade of Legacy’, the celebrations are being coordinated in partnership with the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, under the stewardship of the council’s co-chairmen, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II (Ooni of Ife), and His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR (Sultan of Sokoto).

Among the flagship events is an Inter-School Debate Tour cutting across Lagos, Abeokuta, and Ile-Ife, three cities integral to the late monarch’s journey.

Students from King’s College, Lagos; Abeokuta Grammar School (his alma mater); and Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife, will engage in a spirited intellectual discourse under the theme: ‘Traditional Governance vs. Modern Democracy: Which Best Preserves Cultural Heritage?’

The final leg of the debate will culminate on July 25, 2025, offering a platform for young minds to examine the intersection of heritage and modernity.

A Grand Memorial Exhibition, curated by acclaimed cultural historian Dr Oludamola Adebowale, will open as a major cultural highlight.

For the first time, rare personal items, regal photographs, and archival documents from Oba Sijuwade’s life and reign will be made accessible to the public.

The exhibition features artifacts sourced from the National Archives of Nigeria, UK National Archives, Horniman Museum & Gardens (UK), the African American Research Library and Cultural Centre in Florida (home to the Niara Sudarkasa Collection), and the Sijuwade Personal Collection.

The final events will take place in Ile-Ife, the sacred heart of Yoruba heritage. A church thanksgiving service, followed by solemn prayers at the mausoleum of the late Ooni, will mark the formal conclusion of the memorial.

According to family members, the event will be both celebratory and sacred, in keeping with the monarch’s deeply spiritual and diplomatic character.

Representing the Ooni of Ife at the press conference, the Asoya of Isoya, His Royal Highness, Oba Muraina Adebanjo Adedini, delivered a heartfelt tribute:

He said, “Oba Sijuwade was not just a custodian of tradition but a bridge between past and future. His leadership united us, and his legacy must be carried forward with dignity and vision.”

Veteran journalist and publisher of Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu, offered deeply personal reflections during the event.

Momodu said, “I was privileged to serve in Baba’s household as a young man in the 1980s. Baba was a unifier.”