- A captivating viral video depicting a middle-aged man asserting his lineage as the son of the esteemed Ooni of Ife has triggered widespread attention and uproar online, capturing the imagination of countless viewers.
- In a prompt and decisive response, the monarch swiftly addressed the matter, unveiling the proactive measures taken to confront and quell the claims made by the individual
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has emphatically disowned assertions made by an individual who purported to be his son, firmly disavowed any affiliation with the claimant.
In a recent and viral video, the unidentified man asserted that the monarch had kept him and his mother hidden, with instructions to maintain discretion about his identity.
“Oba Enitan Ogunwunsi is my father. He hid me with my mother with a clear instruction that I must not reveal myself,” the man dressed in a white Agbada said in Yoruba.
WATCH THE MAN SPEAK BELOW
Responding to the viral video, the palace spokesperson, Moses Olafare, issued a statement on Thursday categorically denouncing the man’s claims as an act of impersonation.
Olafare further disclosed that the issue had been reported to the appropriate security agencies for necessary follow-up.
Emphasizing the monarch’s stance, Olafare affirmed that as a responsible father and custodian of tradition, the Ooni of Ife is well-aware of and recognizes all his children, and is fully committed to taking accountability for them without hesitation.
According to him, “Our attention has been drawn to an amateur video clip featuring a grown-up individual claiming to be a son of our father, Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll, the Ooni of Ife, virally trending across various online platforms.
“The self-acclaimed prince was unknown to the palace and the Ile-Ife populace
“He is not a child of Ooni Ogunwusi as fraudulently claimed and also never related in any way to any lineage of the Ogunwusi royal family and the Giesi royal compound of Ile-Ife at large.
“We categorically condemn and denounce this shameless act of impersonation in the strongest possible terms.
“It is imperative to clarify that the Ooni of Ife, as a responsible father and custodian of tradition, knows and acknowledges all his children and stops at nothing to take full responsibility for them (both those who are in Nigeria and outside the country).”