Memorial: Ooni of Ife remembers the throne before him — Lagos hosts rare tribute to late Oba Sijuwade (VIDEO)

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has honoured his late predecessor, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, at a grand memorial event in Lagos marking ten years since the revered monarch’s passing.

The remembrance ceremony, held on Friday July 25, at Harbour Point in Victoria Island, brought together an array of royal dignitaries, traditional rulers, diplomats, scholars, and members of the business community, as well as family and friends of the late monarch.

The event, organized by the Sijuwade Royal Family in partnership with the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN), included a memorial exhibition titled “The Life and Times of Oba Okunade Sijuwade”, featuring rare photographs, heirlooms, and artifacts from the Ooni’s reign.

Speaking at the event, Oba Ogunwusi, in viral video, praised the late Sijuwade as a transformational figure who left an indelible mark on Yoruba culture, traditional governance, and national unity. “He came, he saw, he conquered, and we’re all the result of his handiwork,” the Ooni said in tribute.

He noted that although the late Ooni’s roots were in Ile‑Ife, Lagos was chosen for the 10th remembrance to allow broader public participation, especially from descendants and associates living across Nigeria and the diaspora.

Highlights of the ceremony included a symposium on “Securing and Unifying Nigeria through Traditional Institutions”, where leading scholars and traditional leaders discussed the evolving role of royal authority in contemporary society. Guest speakers included Professor Jacob Olupona of Harvard Divinity School, the Emir of Lafia, the Tor Tiv, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, and former DSS director Kayode Are (Rtd.).

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The late Oba Sijuwade, who ascended the throne in 1980 and reigned until his death in July 2015, is remembered as a symbol of Yoruba pride and cultural advancement. His reign witnessed a renewed global recognition of Yoruba traditional institutions and deeper inter-ethnic harmony across Nigeria.

The anniversary event was capped with a lavish banquet, filled with cultural performances and emotional tributes to one of the most charismatic and influential traditional rulers in Nigeria’s post-independence history.