Ooni Imposed Seven Day Curfew Before He Died, To Begin Today

A seven-day curfew will begin after the remains of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade
Sijuwade, Olubuse II, must have been buried on Friday, the town’s chiefs have said.
The spokesperson for the chiefs, Chief Dejo Adejobi, told our correspondent on the
telephone on Thursday that the restriction of movement for the rites would start from
4pm today and would past for the next seven days.

But asked what the chiefs would do to ensure that the curfew would not affect visitors
who would attend the burial, Adejobi said, “I understand you. Yes, we cannot invite
people for the burial service and still restrict their movement. But you should
understand that the service will start by 10am and the restriction of movement will start
from 4:pm.”
Meanwhile, the burial rites which would herald the interment of the late monarch
continued on Thursday as town criers from the palace moved round the town to
enforce the chiefs’ order.
A resident, who witnessed the scene, Wunmi Adeoye, told our correspondent that the
town criers beat their gongs as they moved round, warning residents not to come out
tomorrow because movement would be restricted to enable the chiefs to carry out the
remaining rites.
The town criers, according to him, warned violators of the order to be ready to face the
consequences of their action.
He said, “Around 9.30am some persons from the palace came to Oja Titun and started
beating traders and driving away traders. They said the people knew the burial rites still
continued but came out to dare them.
“They have shut down the market and they said the rites would continue for seven
days.”
Speaking with our correspondent, a resident who said she had visited Itakogun Market
to buy some things, said some palace messengers went round ordering traders to
immediately close their shops and vacate the markets in compliance with the order.
At Sabo Market, which is mostly populated by non-indigenes, traders hurriedly closed
their shops as the news of the closure order of markets reached the place.
Some residents frown on the way the palace messengers flogged traders and those
who crossed their path, saying they palace chiefs ought to have gone to the radio
station to inform everybody that markets would be closed for seven days.
The announcement of movement restriction may confusion among those who were
invited for the interdenominational service which would be held for the monarch before
his remains would be interred at the palace.
The interment, which would take place inside the palace, it was gathered, would only be
witnessed by some traditional chiefs.
The gates of the Ooni’s place were ajar when our correspondent visited the place on
Thursday. This, the chiefs said, was one of the signs that the Ooni had left the world.
Preparations were also in top gear for the burial as workers were seen clearing the bush
from Ife Junction to the main gate of the Obafemi Awolowo University on Thursday.