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The Palace of the Ooni of Ife has denied issuing an official statement on the viral video in which Yoruba rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, was seen lambasting Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, over what he alleged as acts of betrayal against his struggle to liberate Yoruba race from criminal herdsmen.
Answering questions from newsmen at his office in Ile-Ife on Thursday, the monarch’s Director of Media & Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare, said the monarch will never make an official reply or react to the issue.
Olafare said Oba Ogunwusi was unperturbed by the abuses rained on him by the Yoruba rights activist.
Igboho had on Wednesday spoken derogatorily about Yoruba’s greatest monarch, describing him as a “Fulani slave.”
“Sunday Igboho still remains a son to the Ooni. Baba has already forgiven him because he has tendered an apology via a video clip he produced via social media yesterday evening,” Olafare said.
The royal father, according to Olafare, could not bicker with any of his sons even in the face of high quantum of provocations.
The media aide revealed that tendering of the unreserved apology to Ooni by Igboho was facilitated by the Olugbon of Ile-Igbon and Vice Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Olusola Alao. He said Olugbon had called the activist to advise and warn him of the consequences that might follow his misconducts towards the Spiritual Head of Oduduwa race, whose sons and daughters are the Yorubas he claimed to be fighting for.
“Before tendering the apology, it was the Olugbon of Ile-Igbon that first called and informed Arole Oodua on phone that he had scolded Sunday on phone on his misdeeds and that he would soon tender a public apology to him on the matter via a video release. Sunday Igboho thereafter released the video in which he tendered his apology
“Even though the way and manner Sunday had behaved was sacrilegious to the Oduduwa throne but he has already apologized and I can confirm that Arole Oodua has forgiven him because there is no perfection in humanity. Sunday is a human being like any other normal human being who could misbehave as well. No one is perfect!
“As the father of all, the Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, remains his father who had even identified with him in the past two weeks he started with the struggle and he is still solidly behind him for the liberation of the Yorubas from criminal herdsmen who have adamantly terrorized our land. Just that he must watch his back so that people with ulterior motives will not hijack his movement,”Olafare said.
When asked if the Ooni has ever made an official statement on the issue, Olafare swiftly replied that it not in the habit of the palace to make official statements on any matter that threatens the unity and peace of the country, especially as it affects the descendants of Oduduwa.
“No no no, palace has never officially responded and will never respond over the video. As a matter fact, it is not even our style to do so, and we have a ‘Talk-less and Listen-more’policy on issues like this because we focus more on what unites us together than what divides us as a people of one source.
“Like I said, he has apologized through Kabiyesi Olugbon who called Baba on his behalf and Arole Oodua has forgiven him. Just let the matter rest,” the media aide added.
The traditional ruler,however, appealed to all and sundry to let the sleeping dog lie on the matter because Sunday had been forgiven and life must go on.