history repeats itself in Ile-Ife, when the Osun state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola crowned Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwunsi as the new Ooni of Ile-Ife. By so doing, he will be the second governor from Ijesha town, to crown new Ooni. This feat was first achieved in December 1983, when the late Chief Bola Ige, the then governor of Oyo State, crowned the former Ooni, the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse 11. Ogunwusi’s immediate predecessor, late Ooni Sijuwade was installed before the creation of Osun state.
Since the demise of the late Oba sijuwade and the choice of Ooni-elect Ogunwusi as his successor, ile ife has been a center of attraction due to the fierce battle that characterized the selection of the next Ooni. However, unknown to most Nigerians, the emergence of ogunwusi as the new Ooni was mainly orchestrated and executed, not by the ife kingmakers of the Osoros, but by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governor Emeritus of Lagos state and national leader of the all progressives congress, APC.
At first, Tinubu, who ignited his age-long aspiration to install his close friend and business associate, prince Dipo Eludoyin(owner of ikeja city mall), as the next Ooni of ife but felt crushed when Eludoyin refused to be drawn into the race. When the pressure was too much, the prince left Nigeria for China.
It was at this juncture that Oba Saheed Elegushi, kusenla 111, stepped into the picture. It is pertinent ro add that Tinubu had single-handedly installed the ikate monarch in 2010. he was the PA to Asiwaju tinubu. moreover, in 2003, tinubu installed Oba riliwan Aremu Akinolu as the Oba of Lagos.
Oba Elegushi sold the candidacy of prince ogunwusi to tinubu.
With persistency and pleading from Oba Elegushi, tinubu who wasn't enthusiastic in investing in ogunwusi caved in.
Even before he got the seal of approval from the lion of Bourdillon, Ogunwusi had showered and spoilt the ife kingmakers with both financial and material gift. Each of d kingmakers became proud owners of choice automobile (prado jeeps, 20 in number) and some became 20 million naira richer.
According to reliable sources, Asiwaju Tinubu simply instructed Aregbesola thus "Go and announce that friend of saheed Elegushi as the next Ooni of Ife" It was a fiat order which Aregbesola dared not flout. But one which he surreptitiously carried out.
Governor Aregbesola was expressly ordered by his leader tinubu to join him in London that Sunday night, he was also advised to board the plane before the announcement was made. Aregbesola, therefore, instructed the secretary to the government of Osun state, Alhaji moshood Adeoti to make the announcement only after he had boarded the plane.
It's a pity to know tradition too is not above corruption. After all the mouth that they would swear for anybody who didn't follow the tradition, it was the kingmakers themselves who failed their oaths. They ended up not consulting the Oracle and just followed their greedy minds. it's common knowledge in ife. When the fraud issue raised by sijuwade family came up, remember the Ooni said Tinubu had already resolved the issue and was surprised the case came up again. The kingmakers (whose daytime occupations are rewired, panel beaters e.t.c, with the exception of Obalufe who seems educated) got 5 million each + a brand new Prado jeep, they were given one key each though so the prados could still be recovered. Then, they didn't get up to 20 million, but they surely milked ogunwusi well till the kings father protested that enough was enough. They charged huge amounts of money for every traditional rite that needed to be done before installation.Culled from the ELITES