Okunade Sijuwade

Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade (Olubuse II) was born on January 1st, 1930 in Ile-Ife to the Ogboru ruling house, grandson of the Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. As a monarch, Olubuse II set the record as the second-longest reigning Ooni of Ife in recorded history.

Okunade Sijuwade Age

Okunade Sijuwade would have been 85 years old, if he were alive today. May his soul rest in peace.

Okunade Sijuwade Early Life

Prince Okunade Sijuwade as he was then called, started his elementary education at Igbein school, Abeokuta, an institution owned by the CMS mission. He lived with his other brother under the care of their father’s good friend Chief G. A. Adedayo and his family. Chief Adebayo was the secretary to the Egba council, under the Asoju Oba. After his elementary school education he proceeded to Abeokuta Grammar school, under the well-known educationist, The Rev. I. O. Ransome Kuti who was the principal of the school. 

Early in life, Prince Sijuwade was conscious of his royal birth, and his carriage, even in school, was of one who was destined to wear the crown. Once, at Abeokuta Grammar school, the Reverend Ransome Kuti wanted to flog the young Sijuwade for some misdemeanour. As the principal raised his whip, the young prince dared the famous disciplinarian to hit a ‘king’. 

This did not of course stop Reverend Kuti from meting out what he considered appropriate punishment to the erring young man who was nonetheless satisfied that he has made his point. He left Abeokuta Grammar school after five years and got transferred to Oduduwa college in Ile-Ife to complete his studies under the Reverend S. A. Adeyefa. On his first day at school, mistaken for one of the new teachers and in no hurry to correct the impression, young Sijuwade took over the class in which he was supposed to be a student. In spite of his royal posturing and youthful pranks, Prince Sijuwade is remembered by many of his classmates as a particularly diligent student and quite mature for his age . Because of his relative access to money the prince was able to acquire many good things of life, especially clothes. He was a trend setter in school. He was one of the few students in Oduduwa college, who were familiar with the life in Lagos at that time, as today, the centre of good life in Nigeria. He attended Northampton College in the United Kingdom where he studied business management.

Okunade Sijuwade Career

Sijuwade had a flourishing career in business, becoming a manager at Leventis when he was barely 30 and was sales director at National Motor in Lagos at 33. He later set up a company to distribute Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria. His business boomed and expanded. He was into real estate and construction and enjoyed unlimited favours from virtually every successive government in Nigeria.

Sijuwade succeeded Oba Adesoji Aderemi who had reigned for 50 years before his death. Sijuwade reigned for nearly 35 years, the second longest, having been enthroned on December 6th, 1980. When he became Ooni of Ife, he inherited an ongoing dispute over supremacy between the obas of Yorubaland. In 1967 a crisis had been resolved when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was chosen as the leader of the Yoruba. In 1976 the Governor of Oyo State, General David Jemibewon, had decreed that the Ooni of Ife would be the permanent chairman of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs. Other Obas led by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said the position should rotate. The dispute calmed down when Osun State was carved out of Oyo State in August 1991, but ill will persisted. In January 2009 Sijuwade was quoted as saying that Oba Adeyemi was ruling a dead empire (the Oyo Empire, which collapsed in 1793). Adeyemi responded by citing "absurdities" in Sijuwade's statements and saying the Ooni "is not in tune with his own history". Adeyemi, Permanent Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, was conspicuously absent from a meeting of Yoruba leaders in April 2010.

Towards the end of 2009 a more local dispute between the Ooni, the Awujale of Ijebuland and the Alake of Egbaland was finally resolved. Sijuwade traced the dispute back to a falling out between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola during the Nigerian First Republic, which had led to a division between the traditional rulers. He noted that the traditional rulers were an important unifying force in the country during the illness of President Umaru Yar'Adua.

In February 2009, Sijuwade helped mediate in a dispute over land ownership between the communities of Ife and Modakeke, resolved in part through the elevation of the Ogunsua of Modakeke as an Oba.[10] The new Oba, Francis Adedoyin, would be under the headship of Sijuwade.

Okunade Sijuwade Personal Life

Oba Okunade Sijuwade died on July 28th, 2015 in London UK, after a brief illness at the ripe age of 85 years. He is the first Arole Odudduwa to die outside of Yoruba land. The title of Adimula of Ife is spiritual, and is not befitting for an Oonirisa to depart beyond Yoruba boundaries.

The late Oba Okunade Sijuwade left behind four wives namely Oloris Morisola, Ladun, Odunayo, Adedolapo and Linda, with their ages ranging between 40’s and 60’s. His wives were barred from re-marrying. He had numerous children including Prince Tokunbo Sijuwade, Princess Kemi Sijuwade, Prince Gbade Sijuwade, Prince Adegbite Sijuwade, Princess Adedotun Sijuwade, Princess Adedami Sijuwade, Princess Adetoun Sijuwade, among others.

Okunade Sijuwade Awards

Oba Sijuwade was awarded the Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR)?, Royal Belgian Distinction of Commander in the Order of the Crown, Highest National Honour, Republic of Poland, and the Royal Belgian Distinction of Commander in the Order of the Crown.

Okunade Sijuwade Net Worth

His net worth is not available.

Okunade Sijuwade on Social Media