The Ooni of Ife addresses a viral video of a man alleging to be his son, claiming to have been hidden under false names to keep his true identity concealed.
Dressed in a white Agbada, the man stated in Yoruba, “Oba Enitan Ogunwunsi is my father. He hid me with my mother with a clear instruction that I must not reveal myself.”
In response to the viral video, the palace spokesperson, Moses Olafare, released a statement on Thursday vehemently rejecting the man’s assertions as an act of impersonation.
The Ooni firmly refuted any connection with the individual making these claims and has distanced himself from the unfounded accusations.
Olafare also revealed that the matter had been reported to the relevant security agencies for further investigation.
Reiterating the monarch’s position, Olafare affirmed that as a responsible father and custodian of tradition, the Ooni of Ife is fully aware of and acknowledges all his children, and is committed to taking responsibility for them without hesitation.
Statement from Ooni of Ife rejecting alleged son
“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).”