THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, has reportedly passed on, on Tuesday, at 85 years.

Sources said the monarch, who was said to have been flown out of the country since last Friday, died in the United Kingdom.

A former commissioner and indigene of Ife, who spoke to Punch said, “It is true. I was with him on Wednesday. Last Thursday when we held the political summit in Ife, he supported us and sent an emissary to the summit. He slumped on Thursday and was rushed to Ibadan airport from where he was flown to Lagos in an air ambulance en route to England for treatment. He became stable by Saturday. It is sad that he relapsed and passed on.”

The traditional ruler, born on January 1, 1930, was crowned king on December 6, 1980 in a colourful ceremony attended by prominent traditional rulers the Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, Amayanabo of Opobo and the Olu of Warri as well as the representatives of the Queen of England.

It was gathered that the Ife traditional council and the Osun State traditional council would meet on Wednesday and emissaries from the two councils would visit the Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, to officially break the news to the governor.