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Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi: Things You Don't Know About The New Ooni Of Ife / Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Is New Ooni Of Ife / Meet The Contenders To The Ooni Stool; How The New Ooni Will Emerge (2) (3) (4)
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As Ile-ife Awaits A New Ooni by Titilayodeji13(m): 11:02am On Sep 27, 2015 |
The palace of the Ooni of Ife which had always
been busy round the clock is now bereft of life
and activities. The signs are there for all to
see. The evidence showing that the palace
was in deep mourning mood was registered in
the minds of some prominent culture
technocrats who paid a courtesy call on the
palace and some top chiefs of the Ife Kingdom
last weekend.
Among the visitors were Akin Adejuwon, the
Artistic Director of the National Troupe of
Nigeria, Yusuf Usman, the Director-General of
the National Commission for Museums and
Monuments and other top staff of the culture
sector. They were in town to commission a
new private museum and to also felicitate with
the palace on its cordial relationship with the
National Museums which has its Ife office
located within the precincts of the palace.
Adejuwon, who until his appointment last
years as the Artistic Director of the Troupe,
had been resident in Ife for ten unbroken years
was quick to observe this sudden change of
mood in the palace and the sudden quiet that
has now become the lot of the palace as the
people await the announcement and
coronation of a new Ooni.
He said: “Yes, the D.G. of National Museum,
had been angling to pay a condolence visit to
the Ooni’s palace, because the late Ooni and
the people of Ife, had been pivotal to issues
concerning the museums and artifacts. This
is for obvious reasons, for Ife has some of the
richest repertoires of artistic and historical
elements in Nigeria’s history. They have some
of the largest collections of antiquities in
Nigeria. And so he thought by being in Ife for
the opening of the dental museum, it would be
proper also to be at the palace. We got to the
palace, we had to be admitted through an
alternative entrance. This was so because the
main entrance was under lock and key and
that in itself would tell you that the old palace
is wearing a sombre look.”
He went on: “All entrances to palace were
sealed at the demise of the Ooni. So we had
to go through the other door and the palace
secretary and the representatives of the high
chiefs were on hand to receive us. After
waiting for sometime, it was interesting to
note that the whole palace looked like a ghost
town. There were no more people milling
around the palace with one activity or the
other. I had been to the palace hundreds of
times in my life and I had never, for once, seen
the palace so quiet, so cold, so isolated and
so bereft of social and cultural activities. It
then dawned on me and others that this is
how a palace looks like when a new Oba is
being awaited.”
Adejuwon’s surprise did not end here. He
continued: “I have lived in Ife for ten years.
Yes, it is understandable if there is lack of
movement, it would look so isolated. Even
then we were received in the Ooni’s large hall
where the D.G. of National Museums thanked
the chiefs for the total preservation of some of
the national artifacts in Ife Museum.”
At that event too, Ife Chiefs reiterated the
importance of one of their most revered gods
(deities) that would soon appear and no one
would be expected to be seen in public. The
people particularly identify with this deity, very
powerful in its role in the lives of the people.
Beyond this, the Ife artifacts have been part of
exchange programmes between Nigeria, Spain,
and some other European and American
nations in the last few years.
Above all, the rich Ife antiquities have shown
the whole world that Africa and Africans had
history and culture before the advent of the
Europeans. The visit was also topical in order
to solicit the support of the incoming Ooni to
keep the importance and prominence of Ife
heritage ever aglow in national history and
documentation. The Ooni’s role in this regard
can never be thwarted.
The issue of making a bigger request and
demand on the intending King was also
brought to the fore. It was heartwarming too
to hear Ife Chiefs commend the management
of the National Museums as they advised them
on how to go about asking for more in the
future.
For a long time, the traditional Ife bronze with
its remarkable facial marks depicting royalty
and dignity has been adorning most art
festivals world-over. This symbol, along with
others which showcase heroism in warfare,
courage in traditional fanfare and lots more
are some of the topical issues that the visit
harped on. In all, Ife historical and traditional
properties in the National Museums and
Monuments will continue to dominate the
attention of those who love to make history an
issue, indeed an enduring legacy. http://thenationonlineng.net/as-ile-ife-awaits-a-new-ooni/ |
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