Ooni of Ife loses grandma @104

Queen Mariani Adeyemi Ogunwusi, who is the mother of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, is dead.

The 104-year-old queen died on Tuesday at exactly 4:30am, according to a statement by the Director of Media and Public Affairs of Ooni’s Palace, Mr. Moses Olafari.

According to the statement, the deceased had the premonition of her death before her death with her action of placing the photographs of the Ooni on her chest.

The statement noted that whenever she places the picture on her chest, the deceased gave thanks to God that the prophecy of over 40 years by her husband was brought to reality in her life-time.

The statement reads, “Ile Oodua announces the glorious transition of Queen Mariani Adeyemi Ogunwusi the paternal grandmother of Arole Oodua and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II).

“Survived by her only surviving son, Prince Oluropo Ogunwusi and twelve grandchildren, the King’s grandmother who had earlier lost her second child Prince Isaac Olufemi Ogunwusi and her husband Prince Olaobaju Joseph Ogunwusi in 1995 and 1998 respectively died at exactly 4:30am in house at Ile-Ife at the ripe age of 104 years.

“It’s noteworthy to state that the late Queen Ogunwusi fondly called MAMA ALASO might have had the premonition of her death as she had in the last one month been placing kabiyesi Ooni’s picture on her chest either while sleeping or sitting always quoted saying, ‘God I thank you for making me alive to witness a dream of over forty years, am now ready to return to you in heaven for an eternity and be able to tell my husband of this manifestation of our 1974 dream’.”

The statement described the deceased as a devout Christian, generously accommodating community leader and loving mother of her children.

It added that her remains would be interred during the final funeral activities fixed for 22nd and 22rd of April 2016 by the family.