Ooni disowns online self-acclaimed son, urges Police, DSS to arrest impostor
By Jeleel Olawale
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has disowned an online self acclaimed son of Ogunwusi.
Ooni made this known in statement by his Director, Media & Public Affairs, Otunba Moses Olafare, said, the attention Ooni Palace has been drawn to a an amateur video clip featuring a grown up individual claiming to be a son of Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll, the Ooni of Ife, trending across various online platforms.
According to the statement, “We categorically condemn and denounce this shameless act of impersonation in the strongest possible terms.
“As all of Ooni’s children are well known to the palace and the people of Ile-Ife, the eldest child of the Ooni is Princess Adeola Ogunwusi, a Master Degree holder working and residing in Canada, followed by Princess Adewamiwa Ogunwusi who recently relocated to further her education in Dublin, Ireland from where she had come 3 years ago for her secondary school education in her home country, Nigeria.
“Princess Adesewa is doing very well, Prince Tadenikawo Ogunwusi is widely known to be with his mother hale and healthy while the new born twins Prince Adebisi Kehinde and Princess Taiwo Adeayo are being planned to formally make their historic entry into the palace in a couple of days in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Ife Palace.”
The statement noted further that, “We hereby declare with no equivocation that this self acclaimed prince is unknown to the Palace and the Ile-Ife populace. Not only is he not a child of Ooni Ogunwusi as fraudulently claimed, but also never related in any way to any lineage of the Ogunwusi royal family and the Giesi Royal Compound of Ile-Ife at large.
“His marauding impersonation tactics to exploit the revered status of the Ooni of Ife for fraudulent personal gains is not only sacrilegious but also criminal in nature. Impersonation of any member of the royal family is a sacrilege against the sanctity of the palace and the heritage it represents.
“While the Palace leaves no stone unturned to go after this criminal using all possible means to scapegoat him with a view to making him face the law for necessary deterrence, we here urge the law enforcement agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police Force and Department of State Security (DSS), to thoroughly investigate this matter and bring the perpetrator to justice as swiftly as possible.
“In assisting the law enforcement agencies on this project, any individual with useful information pertaining to the whereabouts of this impersonating marauder is implored to cooperate fully with the security authorities or the Ooni’s Palace to ensure that justice prevails as such a patriotic whistleblower’s identity is well protected in utmost secrecy and handsomely rewarded by the Ooni’s palace,” Ooni said.
The Palace therefore, called on all individuals, to refrain from engaging in or promoting such deceptive practices.
“It is incumbent upon us all to uphold the dignity and honour of our cultural heritage, which includes respecting the integrity of the royal family.”
He said the Palace remains committed to preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people and will not tolerate any attempt to undermine or tarnish its legacy through fraudulent means.
