Ooni Ogunwusi takes over Osun Council of Obas’ chairmanship

Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, yesterday assumed the chairmanship of Osun State Council of Obas. The newly installed monarch attended the monthly meeting of traditional rulers in the state for the first time in Osogbo, the state capital.
There had been apprehensions over who would be the chairman of Obas in the state, following the emergence of Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, as the substantive chairman, after the demise of late Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade, who held the position in perpetuity, since the creation of the state. Sources inside the main hall of Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, where the meeting was held, told our correspondent that there was apprehension before the Ooni came in. “Traditional rulers and others at the venue were all apprehensive when Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran was about to commence the meeting when Ooni had not arrived. “Owa had already occupied pied the seat meant for the chairman and this heightened the tension because everyone present knew Ooni Ogunwusi was coming to the meeting.
“When the Ooni arrived, the atmosphere changed. His aides brought a personal white chair for him. That really made him special and his comportment was royal and unmatched. “When the meeting commenced, the tension was rising and it only went down when the Owa introduced himself as the deputy chairman. “The acting chairman when he was introducing himself said he was the deputy chairman. It means he recognised Ooni as the head,” the source said. Speaking to newsmen, Onigbaye of Igbaye, a town in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state, Oba Joseph Okunola-Oni, said the meeting went well, adding that protocol was followed. Being the first meeting of the year and the first the newly coronated Ooni would be attending, Oba Okunola-Oni further said: “There was no cause for alarm. The king was introduced to everyone of us officially, especially his office as representative of Oduduwa and we all embraced him.

SOURCE: NATIONAL MIRROR