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Ooni of Ife: Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse 11 |
This interview was conducted by Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi and Gbenga Adefaye in 2009 when Oba Okunade Sijuade clocked 80 years.
The story is simple enough and can bear endless
repetition. In the beginning Olodumare created the universe. Then, He
decided that Orunmila should complete the work of creation. But Orunmila
was a great lover of palm wine. One day, he drank one keg too many and
his richly endowed creative hands became wobbly. So wobbly were his
hands that instead of creating perfect human beings as directed by
Olodumare, he created imperfect humans, among them, the deaf, the blind,
the hunched-backed and even albinos (or depending on interpretation,
‘white folks!). In grave disappointment, Olodumare appointed
Oduduwa to complete Orunmila's unfinished tasks. And what did Oduduwa
do? He descended from heaven in chains and landed in a place called
Ile-Ife, where he proceeded to create the first perfect human beings!
The survivor of that progenitor of human-kind is none other than the
incumbent occupier of the throne of the Source of all humankind, Oba
Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II, the Ooni of Ife!