•Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi
Among the Yoruba, kings are regarded as semi-deities because they are deemed representatives of the gods. The air of sacredness that they carry is such that they are typically esteemed beyond the realm of the mundane.
That is why it sucks when royal fathers descend to the gutters like ordinary folks, as was the case recently with their royal highnesses in Osun State Council of Obas, reports The Nation.
Royal fathers from Ife North council area on the platform of Origbo Meje Obas, last week Thursday, gave the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, a 21-day ultimatum to substantiate allegations he made against the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, or face a lawsuit.
At a press conference, the acting vice chairman of Ife North Traditional Council, Oba Kehinde Adesoji, who is the Salu of Edunabon, accused the Oluwo of denigrating the stool of the Ooni and demanded retraction of all allegations he made against Oba Ogunwusi.
The Oluwo had triggered controversy two days earlier when he publicly accused the Ooni of domestic conspiracy by which Oba Ogunwusi allegedly planted his (Akanbi’s) ex-wife in his palace to kill him.
According to him, the Ooni conspired with former Queen Chanel to whom he was married for three years to poison him on multiple occasions. Oba Akanbi further alleged that while the marriage lasted, Chanel was in constant touch with the Ooni to plot his elimination.
He said after he sent the ex-queen away, Oba Ogunwusi allegedly secured her an apartment and kept an affair with her. The Oluwo promised to soon provide evidence of his claims.
The Origbo Meje Obas, however, slammed Oba Akanbi for his allegations, which they described as defamatory and “an insult and disrespect” to the Ooni. They expressed deep concern that the Oluwo’s actions were bringing the entire institution of Yoruba traditional rulership into disrepute and ridicule.
At the press briefing where he was flanked by the Olulamokun of Yakooyo, Oba Meshach Oyediran, and the Alakinlalu of Akinlalu, Oba Oluwabusola Oloyede, Oba Adesoji accused the Oluwo of a history of misconducts, including once resorting to fisticuffs against the Agbowu of Ogbaagba at a meeting of the Obas’ council upon which his membership was suspended after due investigation by the Ooni, who is the council chairman.
The Salu further said Oluwo’s claim that the Ooni conspired with his ex-wife to poison him amounted to a criminal allegation.
“He who alleges must prove. On this note, we are giving the Oluwo of Iwo a 21-day ultimatum to write to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, or sue our father, His Imperial Majesty the Ooni of Ife, over the allegations. Otherwise, the Origbo Meje Obas will take legal action against the Oluwo at the expiration of this ultimatum,” he stated.
Ex-Queen Chanel herself issued a statement on her Instagram page in which she described the Oluwo’s allegations as “false, misleading, and damaging to our sacred Yoruba traditional institution.”
It’s a shame that their royal highnesses are washing their dirty linens in the public.
