Ooni of Ile Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Monday said his predecessor, Oba Okunade Sijuade, played a major role in his becoming monarch through prayers.

Speaking at the renaming of Ife City Hall after the late Oba Okunade Sijuade in Ile Ife, Oba Ogunwusi said on a few occasions he had opportunity of interaction with the late monarch,  his prayers showed his clairvoyant abilities.

“Oba Sijuade is not just our revered father, he was a special creature and demonstrated his ability to foresee the future on few occasions I had interaction with him. I can confidently say he played a role in my ascension. On those occasions, he usually prayed from his heart for me.

“The honour we are doing him today can never be at par with his contributions to the development of this land. His contributions to even this structure we are naming after him today was huge. Ife will continue to remember him for his great contributions to our development,” Oba Ogunwusi said.

Speaking earlier, the president, Ife Development Board, Prof. Muib Opeloye, said Oba Sijuwade was being immortalised in recognition of the role he played in developments of Ife and empowerment of its people.

Opeloye recalled that the late monarch initiated the project and contributed immensely to seeing it to fruition.

He commended the chairman of Senate committee on rules and business, Senator Babajide Omoworare, for contributing a sum of N12.5m to the project.

He said IDB was also using the occasion to honour some members of Ife academia who have risen to the professorial cadre, explaining that in over 50 years of existence of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, no indigene had been made a vice chancellor.