List Of Ooni Of Ife

The Ooni of Ife is the traditional ruler of the Yoruba people in Nigeria. He is considered the spiritual leader of the Yoruba and the custodian of their culture and traditions. The Ooni is believed to be a descendant of Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba people. He is a powerful figure in Yoruba society, influencing religious and political matters.

No.	Name	Reign Period
1	Oduduwa	Unknown
2	Osangangan Obamakin	Unknown
3	Ogun	Unknown
4	Obalufon Ogbogbodirin	Unknown
5	Obalufon Alayemore (Obalufon II)	Unknown
6	Oranmiyan	Unknown
7	Ooni Ayetise	Unknown
8	Lajamisan	Unknown
9	Lajodoogun	Unknown
10	Lafogido	Unknown
11	Odidimode Rogbeesin	Unknown
12	Aworokolokin	Unknown
13	Ekun	Unknown
14	Ajimuda	Unknown
15	Gboonijio	Unknown
16	Okanlajosin	Unknown
17	Adegbalu	Unknown
18	Osinkola	Unknown
19	Ogboruu	Unknown
20	Giesi	Unknown
21	Luwoo	Unknown
22	Lumobi	Unknown
23	Agbedegbede	Unknown
24	Ojelokunbirin	Unknown
25	Lagunja	Unknown
26	Larunnka	Unknown
27	Ademilu	Unknown
28	Omogbogbo	Unknown
29	Ajila Oorun	Unknown
30	Adejinle	Unknown
31	Olojo	Unknown
32	Okiti	Unknown
33	Lugbade	Unknown
34	Aribiwoso	Unknown
35	Osinlade	Unknown
36	Adagba	Unknown
37	Ojigidiri	Unknown
38	Akinmoyero	1770–1800
39	Gbanlare	1800–1823
40	Gbegbaaje	1823–1835
41	Wunmonije	1835–1839
42	Adegunle Adewela	1839–1849
43	Degbinsokun	1849–1878
44	Orarigba	1878–1880
45	Derin Ologbenla	1880–1894
46	Adelekan Olubuse I	1894–1910
47	Adekola	1910
48	Ademiluyi Ajagun	1910–1930
49	Adesoji Aderemi	1930–1980
50	Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II	1980–2015
51	Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi	2015-present

Who Was The First Ooni Of Ile-Ife?

The first Ooni of Ile-Ife is traditionally believed to be Oduduwa, a legendary figure in Yoruba history and culture. Oduduwa is revered as the founder of the Ife Kingdom, a key part of the Yoruba people’s history, and he is often seen as the father of the Yoruba race.

According to Yoruba mythology, Oduduwa was sent by the supreme deity, Olodumare, from the heavens to create the earth, particularly in the region that would become Ile-Ife.

In this role, Oduduwa is both a divine and historical figure, blending myth with the early development of the Yoruba people. Oduduwa’s origins are the subject of various interpretations. In some stories, he is said to have come from the east, possibly from a place known as Oke Ora.

Another popular belief is that Oduduwa was originally from the Benin region, known as Igodomigodo, where his father ruled. After a falling out, he left and eventually made his way to Ile-Ife, where he became the leader of a group of people.

His arrival and leadership led to the unification of several independent communities into the single kingdom of Ife. Once in Ile-Ife, Oduduwa became the first king of a unified Ife, which had previously been a confederation of 13 smaller communities. He consolidated his power and brought these communities together under his leadership to begin the royal lineage of Ooni of Ife.

In Yoruba spirituality, Oduduwa is seen not only as the first Ooni but also as a god-like figure, central to the creation story of the Yoruba people. Even after his death, his descendants continued to play a part in the leadership of Ile-Ife and other Yoruba kingdoms.

Who Is The First Female Ooni Of Ife?

The first female Ooni of Ife was Queen Luwoo Gbagidi. She was the only woman to ever hold the title of Ooni. Queen Luwoo’s reign because she broke the traditional male dominance of the position and led with great influence and authority.

Despite the oral nature of Nigerian history, which sometimes forgets certain details, Queen Luwoo’s legacy has been passed down as an important part of Yoruba culture. Queen Luwoo was not just known for being the Ooni; she was also admired for her beauty and her attention to her appearance and environment.

She cared about keeping the surroundings clean, and she expected her people to do the same. Both men and women were required to maintain their homes and streets in top condition. One of Queen Luwoo’s lasting contributions was the creation of special pavements, which still exist today in Ife.

These pavements were made of pottery and quartz pebbles and were laid down for her to walk on because she refused to walk on bare soil. She was strict with people who broke the rules, and they were punished by being forced to work on these pavements. Lawbreakers had to bake clay and break it into pieces with their hands. Queen Luwoo was a strong leader, feared especially by men.

She disliked laziness and treated everyone equally, whether they were a child or a slave. The elders of the land, however, found her leadership too strict and difficult to control. After her reign, they decided that no woman would ever be allowed to become Ooni again.

Who Is The Current Oooni Of Ife?

The current Ooni of Ife is Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who is also known as Ọjájá II. He was born on October 17, 1974, in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and he has been on the throne since October 26, 2015. His official coronation took place on December 7, 2015. He became the 51st Ooni after the death of the previous Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Oba Ogunwusi comes from the Giesi ruling house, one of the prominent royal families in Ife. In addition to his role as a monarch, Ooni Ogunwusi is a trained accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

He also holds honorary doctorate degrees in public administration and law. As the Ooni, he has focused on the development of Ile-Ife. He is known for promoting tourism and urban development, making the city more attractive to visitors.

Under his leadership, many initiatives have been launched to empower women and youth. He supports charitable causes through the House of Oduduwa Foundation and the Hopes Alive Initiative, reaching out to help those in need.

Oba Ogunwusi’s personal life has been quite public. In 2022, he made headlines by marrying six women in a short period. This event highlighted aspects of Yoruba culture and tradition regarding marriage and relationships. In recognition of his contributions to society, he received the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) award from the Nigerian government in October 2022.