Reaching a Glorious 67: Olori Ladun Sijuwade

According to American poet Countee Cullen, some people are teethed on a silver spoon with the stars hung up for a rattle. This is the kind of understanding that comes to the average mind upon seeing the beauty and charm of Olori Ladun, one of the wives of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade. Because time does not stop for anybody, her years continue to count. However, her beauty and charm remain.

The queen recently clocked 67 and brought cheers to the people of Ife as a result. Even though she is no longer sitting in front, she remains one of the best highlights of the past Ooni administration. One might even say that she is still a selling point of the Ooni dynasty. Otherwise, what excuse would people have to stare at her all day long?

Ladun has never been like other queens. Her beauty is not her best feature and she did not lose her edge upon becoming the treasure of a people. Instead, she was regarded as the most educated of all Oba Sijuwade’s wives and also the one with the most tenacious grasp of life and business. Even so, she was also always gentle and remained humble and relatable despite her experiences.

A graduate of Law, Economics and Politics from Buckingham University, Ladun represented her royal husband in Nigeria and abroad when he was alive. She came to be one of his closest confidantes on account of her strong character and far-seeing mind. Even at 67, Ladun retains these characteristics. This is why she is still very relevant in Osun, not minding that she only recently returned to the limelight.