OONI'S PASSAGE: PANIC IN ILE IFE AS OAU DECLARES CURFEW FOR STUDENTS WHIL RITUALS LAST

As Ile Ife braces up for the pronouncement of the passage of the Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade on Wednesday, the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University has directed its students to stay indoors throughout the duration of the final rites of the late monarch.
The atmosphere around the town was tensed on Tuesday, and there was panic particularly among non-indigenes of Ife.
Some students were already leaving campus for their respective homes to avoid being caught in breach of the Oro final rites.
In a statement, the Dean of Students’ Affairs of the institution, Lateefat Durosimi, on Tuesday, however, directed students to remain calm and stay indoors throughout the duration of the burial rites.

“This is to inform the generality of students that there shall be a curfew in Ile-Ife, on Wednesday, 12th of August, 2015 from 9am to 4pm and from 11pm till dawn,” she said.
“Students are therefore strongly advised to stay on campus and those off-campus to remain indoors.
“The Division of the Students’ Affairs counts on the maturity and sense of responsibility of Great Ife students and appeals to all students to comply with the information and continue to keep the peace.”
In the same vein, the institution has also put off all continuous assessment exercises such as test and classes earlier slated for Wednesday.
The Awara of Iwara-Ife, Layi Adereti, on Monday announced that Oro, which is the final rite of passage for the Ooni would commence on Wednesday between the hours of 9am and 4pm when the official pronouncement of the passage of the Ooni Ife would be made.
Mr. Adereti, who is the head of the Oro Cult in Ile-Ife, had warned residents, males and females, to remain indoors during the Oro rite on Wednesday.
He also urged residents to stay away until otherwise advised, as other burial rites would continue after the Oro rites.