Ile-Ife Comes Alive As Ooni Wears The Sacred Aare crown For The first time
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, put on the sacred Aare crown last Saturday in Ile-Ife, for the first time amidst jubilations and local gun salute by the natives.
Oba Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, performed the symbolic trip from Ile Oodua, his palace to Oke Mogun shrine, to mark this year’s Olojo Festival, being the first time he would participate in the festival since his installation as the Ooni.
Olojo Festival holds annually in Ile Ife, to mark the creation of the universe and “Aare crown” a special crown made of 151 items.
Decked in all white apparel, Oba Ogunwusi, had been in seclusion for 5 days.
He left his residence for Oke Mogun around 4: 30p.m for the final rites before he wore the mystic “Aare” crown.
At exactly 5 p.m. Oba Ogunwusi, emerged with Aare crown holding a white dove, amidst prayers and several gunshots which began with the journey to Oke Mogun and Idi Aje; two major ports of call during Olojo Festival where rituals and prayers were said for the peace of Nigeria and Yoruba race.
Aare crown, according to sources in Ooni’s palace, which weighs about 100 kg, last made the trip to Oke Mogun several years ago because the immediate past Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade, owing to his advance age in last 3 years of his reign, did not wear Aare crown even during the celebration of Olojo.
On the procession of Ooni to Oke Mogun were Ife chiefs, priests and members of Oodua People’s Congress, as well as indigenes and tourists from different parts of world.
