Amid wild jubilation, the people of Ife and Modakeke accepted on Monday to be living in peace as the Ogunsua of Modakeke for the first time in decades entered the palace of the Ooni of Ife and prostrated to him and accepted him as his father.
The historic event started around 3.30pm when the state Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, went to the palace of the Ogunsua of Modakeke and led him to Ooni’s palace where over 30 other traditional rulers were already seated.
The Ogunsua, Chief Francis Adedoyin, as soon as he got to the Ooni’s presence prostrated to him with Prince Oyinlola urging the Ooni to accept the Ogunsua as his son and forget the past.
Oyinlola asked the Ooni and the people of both communities to let the renewed commitment to genuine peace be their birthday gift to him by accepting to be one forever.
In his speech, Chief Adedoyin pronounced the Ooni as his father and that there would be eternal peace henceforth between the two communities urging Oba Sijuwade to overlook the past in the interest of all their people.
He also thanked God and Prince Oyinlola for making the event possible declaring that the Governor through his efforts had given to the communities what had eluded them
The Ooni in his speech declared that it was not true that Ife people wanted to chase the Modakekes away stressing that the communities were all his children.
He prayed for the peace and stability of the area while adding that for lasting peace and progress of the area, he would soon set up a joint committee of eminent people from both sides.
By the time the event was underway in the Ooni’s palace, a tumultuous crowd of people had gathered in the two communities who cheered along the road as Governor Oyinlola led the Ogunsua back to his palace.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
