Palace May Announce Ooni’s Demise Today, UK Hospitals Mum

The palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, may today formally announce the demise of the monarch, the Daily Times has learnt.

High chiefs of the palace called a press conference to announce that he was still alive, but highly credible sources told the Daily Times that the palace position is in line with tradition.

It was further disclosed that anybody who formally acknowledges the passing on of an Ooni before proper traditional rites are carried out risks instant death.

The Ooni is regarded as the spiritual head of the Yoruba ethnic nationality, while Ile Ife is believed to be the source of the race.

“There is a laid-down traditional procedure for announcing the passing on of an Ooni. A prominent monarch with ties to Ile-Ife died months ago and it is yet to be formally acknowledged, in deference to tradition. The era of the social media may have ruptured some very key traditional rites in the passing on of such a monarch,” a top palace official told the Daily Times.

Meanwhile, two London hospitals visited by the Daily Times denied that the Imperial Majesty breathed his last in any of their wards.

Although a Daily Times source, who spoke under anonymity, said that the Oba had actually passed away on Tuesday night, there were conflicting signals from the two hospitals.

When the Times got to the St Mary’s hospital, in Paddington, London, where the Olubuse was reported to have died on Tuesday evening, the staff were in the dark, until a male colleague came to the reception and emphatically said: “It’s not here. I know that for sure, he didn’t die here.”

Enquiries made at the Cromwell Hospital in South West London also came back as negative, after staff carried out a quick check and later reported back, saying, nobody  fitting the description of an 80-year old  “died  here last night” – Tuesday.

However, a source close to the  family of the Ooni spoke under the condition of anonymity, revealing that the king “first slumped on Saturday, but recovered and spoke to his people. But yesterday – Tuesday – evening, his condition deteriorated until he passed away.”

When the Daily Times also contacted the Nigerian High Commission  on Wednesday afternoon, a staff member -speaking under anonymity – said they had not been formally informed.

Also, there was conflicting reports at the palace.
While some people reflected that the King is dead, others said though ill, the Oba Sijuwade is alive.
When our correspondent visited the palace, sympathisers were seen discussing the state of the king’s health.
Though the palace was locked, no paramount traditional ruler was seen at any of the scenes where the matter was discussed.
Most of the sympathisers, however, expressed confidence that the King had not died. They said that the circumstances surrounding Oba Sijuwade’s rumoured death were not convincing enough.
“How will the King die like that? He is not dead, he can’t die now,” screamed one of the sympathisers, identified as Eludayo.
But the Royal Traditional Council which is a combination of traditional chiefs and title holders debunked the report that the monarch died in a hospital in the United Kingdom.
Also, the Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola, explained that the Chiefs were the only source to give authentic information.
He urged the public to ignore reports on the King’s death, explaining that such was not strange to the kingdom.
His words: “I hereby dispel the rumour that our baba, the Olubuse is dead. As I speak with you, the chiefs have not heard anything like that. This is not the first time such rumour will be carried about our father.
“They did it in 1982 , also in 2004 and now. These people are coming up with another rumour. Oba Sijuade remains in sound state of health.”
Another monarch, who preferred anonymity, confided in our correspondent that there was confusion among the traditional rulers.
Nevertheless, he explained that “the announcement about the death of Oba Sijuwade is a power information that cannot come so cheaply.
“You will observe that no paramount person has issued public statement mourning the king. Even the governor has not. We wish our King long life.”

Barely two months into its new status as the opposition political party, having governed the country for sixteen years, the Peoples Democratic Party, has started struggling with the challenge of being an opposition, as it yesterday announced that the party will reduce allowances, staff strength by 50%.

PDP National secretariat , Abuja

The party has also said it would reduce the salaries and allowances of its staff by 50%, even as the allowances of members of the National Working Committee, NWC would be slashed down by 50%.

In a letter signed by PDP National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo and addressed to all director and administrative staff of PDP, the leadership of the Party would also reduce the number of its security by 50%.

The letter dated 29 July, 2015 with reference number PS/DD/AD/HOD/SAs/PAS and obtained by Vanguard, the Secretary who noted that the decisions were reached at the 406th meeting of the NWC yesterday, stressed that the party’s Research Directorate has also been abolished and functions of the Directorate transferred to the Peoples Democratic Institute.

The copy of the memo, entitled “Reorganization and Restructuring of Staff at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party”, read in full, “The NWC, at its 406^th meeting held on 29^th July, 2015, considered the Report on the reorganization and restructuring of staff at the National Secretariat and approved the

following:         i.          Reduction of the allowances of all NWC members by 50%.

ii.         Reduction of the number of personal staff of the NWC members by 50%

iii.         Reduction in the number of security personnel attached to the National Officers by 50%

iv.        The reduction of the salaries and allowances of all staff (Establishment and

Staff of NWC members) by 50% effective August, 2015.

v.  Abolition of the Research Directorate and transfer of its functions to the Peoples Democratic Institute.

“Furthermore, Establishment staff who would remain are required to obtain individual letter of revalidation from their State Party Chapter within one month of this circular as to their suitability for service at the National Secretariat.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/pdp-to-reduce-staff-strength-salaries-allowances-by-50/#sthash.VpEu8JMj.w00fKYSv.dpuf

Barely two months into its new status as the opposition political party, having governed the country for sixteen years, the Peoples Democratic Party, has started struggling with the challenge of being an opposition, as it yesterday announced that the party will reduce allowances, staff strength by 50%.

PDP National secretariat , Abuja

The party has also said it would reduce the salaries and allowances of its staff by 50%, even as the allowances of members of the National Working Committee, NWC would be slashed down by 50%.

In a letter signed by PDP National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo and addressed to all director and administrative staff of PDP, the leadership of the Party would also reduce the number of its security by 50%.

The letter dated 29 July, 2015 with reference number PS/DD/AD/HOD/SAs/PAS and obtained by Vanguard, the Secretary who noted that the decisions were reached at the 406th meeting of the NWC yesterday, stressed that the party’s Research Directorate has also been abolished and functions of the Directorate transferred to the Peoples Democratic Institute.

The copy of the memo, entitled “Reorganization and Restructuring of Staff at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party”, read in full, “The NWC, at its 406^th meeting held on 29^th July, 2015, considered the Report on the reorganization and restructuring of staff at the National Secretariat and approved the

following:         i.          Reduction of the allowances of all NWC members by 50%.

ii.         Reduction of the number of personal staff of the NWC members by 50%

iii.         Reduction in the number of security personnel attached to the National Officers by 50%

iv.        The reduction of the salaries and allowances of all staff (Establishment and

Staff of NWC members) by 50% effective August, 2015.

v.  Abolition of the Research Directorate and transfer of its functions to the Peoples Democratic Institute.

“Furthermore, Establishment staff who would remain are required to obtain individual letter of revalidation from their State Party Chapter within one month of this circular as to their suitability for service at the National Secretariat.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/pdp-to-reduce-staff-strength-salaries-allowances-by-50/#sthash.VpEu8JMj.w00fKYSv.dpuf

Barely two months into its new status as the opposition political party, having governed the country for sixteen years, the Peoples Democratic Party, has started struggling with the challenge of being an opposition, as it yesterday announced that the party will reduce allowances, staff strength by 50%.

PDP National secretariat , Abuja

The party has also said it would reduce the salaries and allowances of its staff by 50%, even as the allowances of members of the National Working Committee, NWC would be slashed down by 50%.

In a letter signed by PDP National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo and addressed to all director and administrative staff of PDP, the leadership of the Party would also reduce the number of its security by 50%.

The letter dated 29 July, 2015 with reference number PS/DD/AD/HOD/SAs/PAS and obtained by Vanguard, the Secretary who noted that the decisions were reached at the 406th meeting of the NWC yesterday, stressed that the party’s Research Directorate has also been abolished and functions of the Directorate transferred to the Peoples Democratic Institute.

The copy of the memo, entitled “Reorganization and Restructuring of Staff at the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party”, read in full, “The NWC, at its 406^th meeting held on 29^th July, 2015, considered the Report on the reorganization and restructuring of staff at the National Secretariat and approved the

following:         i.          Reduction of the allowances of all NWC members by 50%.

ii.         Reduction of the number of personal staff of the NWC members by 50%

iii.         Reduction in the number of security personnel attached to the National Officers by 50%

iv.        The reduction of the salaries and allowances of all staff (Establishment and

Staff of NWC members) by 50% effective August, 2015.

v.  Abolition of the Research Directorate and transfer of its functions to the Peoples Democratic Institute.

“Furthermore, Establishment staff who would remain are required to obtain individual letter of revalidation from their State Party Chapter within one month of this circular as to their suitability for service at the National Secretariat.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/pdp-to-reduce-staff-strength-salaries-allowances-by-50/#sthash.VpEu8JMj.w00fKYSv.dpuf