Isoro cult - a powerful cult in Ile Ife and only an Ooni, among all palace traditional title holders, is a member, has seized the corpse of a prominent high chief and demanded ransom before he could be buried.
Following the demand of the sum of N500,000 by members of Isoro cult, the interment of the remains of the late Obalufe of Iremo Quarters, Ile Ife, Oba Solomon Omisakin was delayed for hours at the weekend.
Isoro cult headed by Obadio, is a powerful cult in Ile Ife and only an Ooni, among all palace traditional title holders, is a member. The late Obalufe who died at the age of 85 after an undisclosed illness in September was the traditional prime minister of Ile Ife and next in rank to the Ooni.
According to a close family source, the late Obalufe was due for burial early Friday. He added that the initial plan, however changed when some people, said to be members of Isoro cult appeared and demanded a sum of N500,000 before the burial rite could proceed.
"The plan was to bury him early Friday but that had to change as members of Isoro cult appeared in the house of the deceased located at Eleyele area of Ile Ife, hijacked his corpse and demanded money before its release.
The initial rumour that his corpse was seized by Ogboni Confraternity was not true. It was the Isoros that seized his remains and it took us time before we could settle the matter."
When asked if the demanded sum was paid, the source declined further comment. But another source also within the late Obalufe’s family confirmed that the demanded was paid before the corpse was released.
