One of the contender for the throne of Ooni of Ife from Oshinkola ruling house, Prince Ramon Adedoyin, has urged members of the Giesi Ruling House to maintain peaceful co-existence and to create unity among themselves in order to present a credible and acceptable candidate for the Ooni stool.

Prince Adedoyin, who is contesting Giesi Ruling House, advised contestants within his royal family not to see the contest as a do-or-die affair, saying that the position has been eluding the Giesi Ruling House since 1894.

Quoting from the 1957 chieftaincy Declaration on the method of appointment of the Ooni of Ife, Adedoyin said: “The number of ruling houses which have the right to provide candidates for the Ooni of Ife is four including Oshinkola, Giesi, Ogboru and Lafogido Ruling Houses.”

He added: “I was well mentored by the immediate past Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, and everybody in the town knows this. If I am not installed as the Ooni, I will support the God-appointed Ooni with everything God has given me. I seriously pray that the next Ooni of Ife comes from the Giesi family.”

Also speaking against the backdrop of some statements credited to some people regarding Prince Adedoyin’s eligibility, one of the members of the Giesi Ruling House, Prince Elusanyain said “Agbedegbede/Okerewe where Prince Adedoyin comes from is among the houses in the Giesi Royal family.”