Ooni of Ife emerges from Giesi, as Oba Ojutalayo confirms it is a done deal

The Laroka of Wanikin-Ife, Oba Kole Ojutalayo, who is from the Giesi family, tells FEMI MAKINDE that the Giesi Ruling House did not trade its right to succession to the departed monarch
There have been criticisms against the decision of Ife kingmakers’ to narrow down the selection of the next Ooni of Ife to the Giesi family. How do you react to this?
You will agree with me that the kingmakers know the history of Ife. They are permanently in the palace. They know the proceedings in the palace from generation to generation. They are the first port of call for truth in this kind of situation. Fortunately, through documentations and legal processes, the government is also in possession of the same facts. The 1980 papers that are being relied on are in the custody of the Osun State Government.
Maybe you will recall that before the kingmakers made any pronouncement, they had a meeting with the state government. The meeting was to compare notes because the government must not be seen to have deliberately taken a wrong decision. The government must be fair and just and that is also the position of the kingmakers. Hence, it is obvious that there is a consensus in the minds of the kingmakers and the government. This is known to the entire populace of Ife. It is known to every prince of Ife that the rotational order, brings Giesi to the forefront now, is authentic, correct and endorsed by everybody.
However, humans can be egocentric. When one hears of the refusal to accept the facts, and the deliberate attempt to deceive the whole world by Ogboru, Osinkola and Lafogido, it saddens the heart. But they all know the truth. I am only praying for them that those of them who know the truth will speak up so that their consciences can be set free.
There are insinuations that the kingmakers were offered bribe to arrive at the decision to use the documents. How true is this?
Who can offer Ife kingmakers money? They know the import of their position. Ife is the cradle of the Yoruba race. The whole world is focusing on Ife as we speak. All Ife in the Diaspora are expecting Ife to do it right. There are quite a lot of things that money cannot buy. We have said it once before and we will say it again and will continue to say it: The stool of Oduduwa is not for sale.
The kingmakers know it. They are human beings and they can receive gifts from their children because they consider all the princes of Ife their children. They can receive gifts from them; there is no harm about that. But to think that the gifts given are for the purpose of changing the natural course of events which the Almighty God has laid down is odd. The kingmakers should fear God if indeed they had received bribes. The gods of Ife are not asleep. The gods of Ife are dreadful and any time anybody strays or crosses their paths; may God save that soul.
Have you or any other contestant from the Giesi family offered gifts to the kingmakers?
I don’t know. I will not tell you that I know that members of Giesi family have not given gifts. I don’t know. I am even waiting to be given gifts. If there is somebody so wealthy that is giving gifts, let it go round the whole Ife.
Have you offered gifts to the kingmakers?
Why should I offer them gifts at this time? It is wrong to offer anybody gifts at this time, it will be tantamount to currying favour. It is morally incorrect. But if any of them is in trouble and they come to me for assistance, which I would normally give to people, I will do same for them. But it will not be for the consideration of the crown of Ife.
Is it true that the Giesi family was offered N5 million by the late Oba Sijuwade to surrender their turn to the Ogboru to produce the Ooni in 1980?
Even now there are tales of money changing hands. It shouldn’t be the tradition of Ife but some people are trying to make it a tradition. I am saying it again and denying it because we have made every enquiry, no such money was given to the Giesi Ruling House. Nobody received any money on behalf of the Giesi Ruling House. It is the figment of the imagination of those who are making the allegation now. This allegation is an attempt to pull down the Giesi Ruling House. The royal house of Giesi is very upright and we keep preaching to all princes of Giesi not to do anything that will taint the family name and image. You will notice that we have kept quiet and we have kept in line with what the law says and that is our position. We will not trade words, we will not fight. If they want to go to court, let them go to court. We will pursue the throne and when we are seated on the throne, let them remain in court.
What makes you so confident that your family is producing the next Ooni?
I am very confident. The next Ooni is emerging from the Giesi Ruling House. That is a fait accompli, it is a done deal.
How do you react to the call that Giesi is an offshoot of Ogboru and should not have been considered as a separate ruling house?
The argument a lot of them are putting forth is that Giesi has had the benefit of producing more Ooni than any other ruling house. For God’s sake, how can a bastard have more opportunities of sitting on the throne of Oduduwa than all the ruling houses? Is there logic in their mudslinging? It doesn’t make sense.
How many Ooni has the Giesi Ruling House produced?
Looking at the last 50 Ooni, one will see that Giesi built the rampart and Laroka, whose title I bear, built the lintel to strengthen the walls of Ife. Where were the other houses when Giesi was fighting to defend Ife? Where were they when Giesi was fighting to build walls of security around Ife? The walls are still there, go to Oduduwa College. You will see it. When we ascend the throne, we will invite those who know and re-establish the boundary wall around Ife which our forefathers who had been on the throne built. In succession, they were all nowhere to be found when Giesi Ruling Family was defending Ife and remaining on the throne consecutively. But we are magnanimous enough to say, let us do it in rotation, one after the other. It has been established: Ogboru was the last that has just surrendered. Before it was Osinkola which was represented by Sir Adesoji Aderemi of blessed memory; before him was Ademiluyi from Lafogido. Hence, the succession has been in place and is being followed and it is now the turn of Giesi.
Is it true that male children of princesses can also be considered for the throne?
Yes, the law allows it. The Ooniship in Giesi family was established by a female whose father, the Ooni of that period, was sent on exile and series of unfortunate events occurred in Ife and no succession was found. They asked him to come back to the throne but he declined and said he had re-established himself but if they wanted peace and tranquillity in Ife, they should make his daughter the Ooni. That was how the Giesi’s line started. It started through her and the line is in existence till this day. The law permits male children from either a male descendant or a female descendant to aspire to the throne of the Ooni. But it also cautions the kingmakers that they should first consider the male ones. But if a prince from a female line is the best among them, the mantle will fall on him. In fact the oracle will select him. He must have the opportunity to be presented before the oracle.
It is being said in some quarters that the kingmakers arrived at their decision because some contestants from the Giesi family are close to the governor. How true is this?
I don’t think so. Ife is very liberal. Governor Rauf Aregbesola is a friend of so many people in all the ruling houses. There are members of Lafogido Ruling House who are Special Advisers to Aregbesola. We do not think that he will because of that closeness or friendship do something unjust. Within the Giesi Ruling House, we have our own son but we do not expect the governor to specially favour him. The governor has absolutely no hands in this matter until the oracle has spoken. We trust him; he is a man whose demeanour shows clearly what is inside his stomach. He is not a deceitful man.
Photo: Laroka of Wanikin-Ife, Oba Kole Ojutalayo