After 35 years on the throne, Ooni of Ife joins ancestors at 85

Almost 35 years after succeeding Oba Adesoji Aderemi as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II joined his ancestors on Tuesday evening.
He was 85.
The first class monarch, born on January 1, 1930, ascended the throne on December 6, 1980 during the President Shehu Shagari administration.
He was 50 years when he became the 50th Ooni of Ife.
The late Chief Bola Ige was the governor of the old Oyo State then. Osun State was carved out of Oyo State in 1991 and Oba Sijuwade became the permanent chairman of the state Council of Oba till he died on Tuesday.
Freedom Online learned that he was flown to London at the weekend unconscious in an air ambulance from Ibadan Airport.
On arrival at Heathrow Airport, he was taken straight to Saint Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where he breathed his last.
Freedom Online learned that Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State had already been briefed by Ife High Chiefs of the demise of the billionaire monarch.
Ooni’s closest monarch-friend, Alhaji Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano, died last year.
Also, his closest confidant and business partner, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao, died last year.
Born in Ile-Ife to the Ogboru Ruling House, Oba Sijuwade was grandson of Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I.
Arrangements are being made to fly the body back to the country for burial.