Ooni's Burial - Ile Ife Residents Advised To Stay Indoors

Residents of the ancient town of Ile-Ife has been advised to strictly remain indoors to enable the Oro deity to observe the final funeral rite for the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuad.
This was disclosed by The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in
Ile-Ife, Osun, who observed that the palace town criers
were going round the town announcing that
residents, especially commercial drivers and
motorcyclists should stay indoors between 7 a.m.
and 6 p.m.
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NAN reports that this will enable the Oro deity
perform necessary rite for the departed monarch.
It was gathered that the Head of Oro Cult in Ife, the
Awara of Iwara, Oba Layi Adereti had ordered the
curfew, warning that anyone who flouted the order,
irrespective of age or gender would face its
consequences.
However, residents were apprehensive of the stay
at home order as many of them rushed to the few
available markets to get essentials that will last
them for the day.
It would be recalled that major market places in Ife
had been shut since last week Friday when the
burial rites started.
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Although, some markets in Mayfair and its environs
have been in operation.
As a result of the curfew, some Heads of
Departments in the Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife cancelled the continuous assessment tests
for their students earlier scheduled to hold on
Saturday.
Some students, who reside off campus, have been
advised to remain indoors in compliance with the
Oro cult order.
Also, hundreds of commercial motorcyclists,
popularly known as “Okada riders” were seen on
Friday distributing a hand bill to their colleagues,
warning them against operating in Ife on Saturday.
The Vice President of the Okada Riders
Association, Ile-Ife chapter, Mr Idowu Akamo, told
NAN that the fliers became imperative because
some members of the association were always
busy and might not have heard the town criers
while making the announcement.
He said that many of the residents as well as the
Okada riders had thought the mourning period
would end on Aug. 21, adding that many residents
were surprised when they heard the stay-at-home
order.
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According to him, the Oro people should not be
dared because the consequences might be
disastrous, saying the association will not like to
lose its members because of disobedience.
It would be recalled that the Oro cult had on
penultimate Friday, after the inter-religious farewell
service for the monarch in Ife, asked residents of
Ife to stay at home from 4 p.m. till dawn for the
next seven days in continuation of the final rites of
the late Sijuade.
Many residents had respected the order and were
thinking it had ended on Friday but got a shock
when the curfew order came on Saturday. (NAN)
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