The video of a middle-aged man claiming to be the son of the revered Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has sparked controversy online, unveiling a royal dispute.
In the footage, the unidentified man, dressed in traditional attire, asserts his lineage to the monarch, alleging that he was kept hidden with his mother, under strict instructions to maintain secrecy.
Expressing his frustration with the alleged concealment of his identity, the man disclosed, “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.
“Anytime I desire to come to the palace, he (Ooni) would stop me saying it was not yet time. Now is the time. My mum might not talk, but I will say the truth. The king is my biological father.
“Though I’m not suffering; there is a house, cars are there, there is money, but I’m no longer interested in them. I want to be known as the son of the king, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II,” he added.
He, however, gave a two-month ultimatum to be invited to the palace, or he will reveal more secrets.
The palace swiftly responded, refuting the man’s claims and denouncing him as an impersonator. Moses Olafare, the spokesperson for the Ooni, issued a statement categorically denying any association between the self-proclaimed prince and the royal family of Ife.
He asserted that Oba Ogunwusi, as a responsible father, recognizes all his children and upholds the integrity of the royal lineage.
Moreover, Olafare reiterated the palace’s commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of the Yoruba people and condemned any attempts to deceive or defraud the public. He urged the individual in question to desist from perpetuating such falsehoods and assured the populace of the palace’s vigilance in safeguarding its legacy.