The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has ordered the shutdown of the palace to curb the spread of coronavirus.
Ooni in a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare on Thursday announced the closure of the place.
The statement read, “the place is shut down and all social and cultural activities have been suspended, only visitors with an essential mission will be allowed to the palace.
“The only easiest solution to it is for everyone to stay at home, COVID-19 is not a respecter of anybody and it does not honour anybody. This is the first time in a very long while that the whole world is having a common problem, we must tackle it together.
The Ooni also advised everyone to engage in frequent hand washing exercises with clean water and soap as well as covering their mouth during cough and sneeze.
He said, “We must look beyond the current negativities attached and look at the lessons embedded in this challenging period of our lives. Coronavirus teaches high personal hygiene, let us be clean and embrace regular handwashing with clean water and soap.
“I implore Nigerians to restrict their movements only to core places in order to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. Let us abide by these simple rules and principles for our own good, the government and its officials are not trying to usurp our freedom to move around as enshrined in the constitution but only working so hard to protect us.
“It is on this note and in the interest of all that, the Ooni has directed all daily cultural and social activities at the palace be indefinitely shut down. Only those with essential services will be allowed into the Ooni’s palace they must observe the necessary precaution measures already provided at the entrance gate and within.”