There was a melodrama at the burial of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade as wives and children of the late monarch were barred from the burial.

CEOAfrica also gathered that people who had expected to see the body of the monarch lie in state were also disappointed as his remains were not brought out during the burial service which lasted for about three hours.

A source at the palace told one of ourcorrespondents that no member of the royal family was allowed to see the remains of the monarch since he was brought back from London.

He said: “As we are holding this interdenominational service here, those concerned are performing their own rites inside the palace where the body is kept.

“You can see that the gates of the palace are locked and nobody is allowed to go inside. Nobody can see him again except those who will bury him. The wives and children were not even supposed to see his corpse at all but tradition was broken this time around because he (Sijuwade) died in London.

While stating the implications that might have occurred if unauthorised person sets eyes on the remains of the monarch. The source said those who saw the bodies of the previous Oonis were attacked by smallpox and did not survive the ailment.

Also, our correspondents learnt that as part of the palace’ tradition and custom of Ile-Ife, women are forbidden from entering the palace while traditional rites are being held for a passing monarch. He said this is strictly abide with by the two popular Yoruba towns, Oyo and Ife.

As the interdenominational service was going on, multiple gunshots was fired which scared some of the people who came to attend the burial service. A palace source told CEOAfrica that more gunshots would be fired later in the day.

The event was attended by diginitaries which include the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Gen. Alani Akinriande (retd), Senator Babajide Omoworare, Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Rear-Admiral Akin Aduwo (retd.) and many other dignitaries and government representatives.