The palace of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has reacted to the humiliating way out to him by the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, treated the Ooni a public function in Lagos on Tuesday.
A video of the incident which went viral on social media showed Oba Akiolu refusing to shake hands and snubbing the Ooni, who arrived the venue of the event while guests were already seated and courteously greeted everyone.
The Head of Palace Directorate of Tourism, Awoyemi Tunde, who spoke to journalists on behalf of Ife Kingdom and elders said the Ooni of Ife was not losing sleep over the issue.
“It is not a slap on the Ooni of Ife but rather a slap on the Oba of Lagos,” he said. “The stool of Oba of Lagos was founded by Olofin Ogunfunminire and the Ooni of Ife is the Oba of Yoruba land.
“The Oba of Lagos has to come to terms with the fact that Ooni is the royal father of Yoruba land, it is necessary that all persons come together to unite Yoruba land but really the issue at the event is very condemnable”.
Mr. Tunde also said that the Oba of Lagos risked the wrath of the ‘Alale'(Ancestors), as a result of his disrespect for the superior monarch.
“God gave Ooni of Ife Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the mandate to unite the Yoruba land and nothing will stop him from doing that,” he added.
According to Mr. Tunde, reactions from different Yoruba communities would continue to pour in to denounce the action of the Lagos monarch.
“If we don’t receive an apology especially with the image of Ile-Ife, we will call on the ancestors on the issue,” he said.
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