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The Ooni Of Ile Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Needs A New Palace Urgently
May 27, 2016 – The Ooni Of Ile Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Needs A New Palace Urgently
An Article By Tony Ogunlowo
The new Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, is in dire need of a new palace. Even though it was home to his predecessor, the late Oba Sijuwade, for many years, where people came to pay homage to him, it seems it’s not to the taste of the incumbent. As a result he’s been forced to go on the road to meet his subjects.
You can’t have an Oba that goes ‘waka-waka-about’ all the time. Not only is it disrespectful it’s also sacrilegious. An Obas place is in his palace where people come to greet him and not the other way round.
The title of Ooni of Ile-Ife is highly revered in Yoruba land – unless the true meaning of the Office has been lost in translation – and the holder needs to be seen upholding this. In the olden days when there were countless wars and conflicts across Yoruba land if an Oba left his palace, as often as he does, he wouldn’t have much of a kingdom to come back to for it would have been invaded!
Ile-Ife is the spiritual birthplace of the Yoruba people, the resting place of Oduduwas staff and the chosen Ooni is the custodian of all this. It’s a heritage that has to be maintained with dignity and respect and not trivialized. This is something the preceding fifty Oonis knew and respected.
It’s understandable that Oba Enitan is a young and modern monarch who doesn’t wish to be confined to the four walls of a palace, perhaps because it’s not to his taste or liking. Perhaps the refurbishment of the current palace or building a new one – to his satisfaction – will make him stay there. Everybody goes to visit the Queen of England in Buckingham Palace and if she to found it uninhabitable to receive her subjects she too, probably, would be on the road to meet and greet her subjects, politicians and godfathers.
So the palace seems to be the problem even though it doesn’t seem to be a problem for the many other Obas , rulers and Kings scattered across Nigeria. They are quite happy to stay in their palaces, on their thrones, to discharge their duties as rulers.
One of the requirements for being a traditional ruler, or a King, is to have a palace – and stay in it! Being a ‘mobile-Oba’ is not acceptable. It cheapens the position. If anyone wants to see a King or Oba they go to see him. You can’t have an Oba going round knocking on people’s doors to see them. In doing so he ceases to be a revered one and becomes as common as the rest of us. If he needs to see politicians he must summon them to the palace. Likewise if he wants to party he must hold it in the palace instead of going round to their peoples celebrations. An Oba cannot be a socialite. He’s an Oba who should command respect and have people falling at his feet eager to do his bidding. This however can only be done when he’s in his palace, the seat of his jurisdiction.
So we either build the Ooni a new palace or ‘pimp-up’ the one he’s currently got, making it as comfortable as possible, with all the mod-cons, so he will like it so much he won’t need to venture out as he normally does, knocking on peoples doors to see them.

Maryf
May 27, 2016 at 3:35 PM
Then the problem with the king maybe that he does not like the quality of furnitures and many other things in the palace. Maybe they look local to him. Computer/Indomie Generation
John Emeka
May 27, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Dis man don’t worth dis damn position given to him…..
I can’t really understand why he is always in d news for damn no any tangible reason…
D yoruba cultures and values is now really at stake.
Dis man shouldn’t be allowed to bring disgrace to d yoruba cultural standards
fifelomo
May 27, 2016 at 4:45 PM
Oba the great attention seeker.
Ms ERANKO
May 27, 2016 at 4:45 PM
THIS IS TWENTY FIRST CENTURY KING.WE NEED TO UPDATE .
WE NEED TO STOP BEING A SLAVE TO ALL THOSE BELIEVES.
I DO NOT THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG FOR THE KING NOT TO GO OUT AND SEE HIS PEOPLE. HE IS NOT A PRISONER.
HE SHOULD GO OUT THERE AND MEET HIS PEOPLE, TALK TO THEM . LOOK ROUND AND SEE THINGS YOURSELF.
I THINK HE WAS GOING ABOUT TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIS CITY , HE IS TRYING TO REMODERNISE ALL THE OUTDATED AND RUN DOWN ILEIFE.
HE WANTED TO BUILD GOOD ROAD, MARKET, HOSPITAL, OFFICES, STADIUM , GOOD SCHOOLS.
BUT THERE ARE SOME IGNORAMUS AROUND HIM WHO DOES NOT WANT CHANGES.
HE IS A BUSINESS MAN.
A MAN ROMANTIC MAN OF TASTE.
HE WANTED TO SET HIS PEOPLE FREE FROM DARK AGE. HE IS A COMPUTER KING.
I WOULD PREFER HIM TO BOMB THE OLD PALACE , AND BUILD , WHAT WE CALLED CONTEMPORARY THERE.
MY DEAR ADEYEYE, OOYE AAMORI O ,
PLEASE JUST BOMB THE SO CALLED OLD PALACE AND BUILD COMPUTER PALACE,
DEMOLISH ALL THE GODDAMN OLD RUBISH AND REMOVE OOOPA OORANYAN WHERE IT IS ,
YOU CAN SEND THE OOPA OORANYAN TO SAWMILL H HA H HA HA H HA
AH HA HA HA HA HA BOMB, BOMB, YOU CAN USE DRONE ON THOSE WHO WANT TO STOP YOU, BOMB THE OLDPALACE BANG BANG H AH HA HA
TI OOBA NI AASHE
NO ONE SHOULD QUESTION YOUR AUTHORITIES
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE AH AH AH
debanjola
May 27, 2016 at 5:00 PM
Poster, na you be king? Which tradition book you dey read from? And who told you Queen Elizabeth dose no go out of Buckingham Palace? Let this king be. You can be a king in your own house and only receive visitors never come out again naa.
betty
May 27, 2016 at 5:34 PM
no comments
Ti oba lase
May 27, 2016 at 6:32 PM
Let the KABIYESI help me with a jalopy car first that I can use to move around.I Don tire to dey treck.Then I’ll contribute to the fund raising to build a new and befitting palace for him.My numb. 08023807530
Omokehinde
May 27, 2016 at 7:31 PM
No one is saying that Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi should remain in his palace forever. As the writer says in the above piece that Oba Adeyeye Enitan is a young man doesn’t want to be confined in his palace, may I remind the writer that Kabiyesi Oba Adeyeye is not the youngest Oni in the history of Ile Ife. There are no of Onis that were far younger than him before being crowned. For example, Oba Adesoji Aderemi that the late Oba Sijuade took over from in 1980 was crowned as the Oni of Ife at age 40, he was two years younger than the present king. He was born in 1889, and became the Oni in 1930 at age 40. We all love this new Oni, and support his agendas to empower the youths, bring tourists to Ile Ife from far and near but he must limit his visit to people that doesn’t matter. The Oni and other traditional rulers across the nation play a vital roles in social and economic growth and development of their domains and the nation at large. Why taking the role of the most powerful, respected, and highly honor position of Oni if you love and cherish your social life so much? He represents all the Yorubas, and not just the present people of Ile Ife. Kabiyesi Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi should limit his visit to those that are necessary, crucial, and of great important to the Yoruba race. May you live in good health, and live longer than your predessor.
bOKEEM
May 27, 2016 at 8:42 PM
This man is a big big big glutton, I’ve said before and am saying it again
Earring
May 28, 2016 at 6:43 AM
I’m equally fascinated with Ooni Ogunwusi story. I wonder why certain people are so negative about him especially on Naijagists. I think this writeris biased. Who controls how you live your life? One of the secrets of longevity (besides accidents) is freedom to live your life to the fullest. So what is the excitement about? Must Ooni Ogunwusi be under the radar with camera following him everywhere? Other high monarchs have been on the throne even before this Ooni was born. Most of them are now confined to the palaces because they are tired and old. Most of them have have 3, 6 or 10 wives for their enjoyment. They all used to go places and party far beyond the present Ooni. I even love seeing him at functions with his huge entourage which signifies his position of high respect, elegance, power and authority. I have not seen him alone wandering the streets of London or the U.S!
sola olaniyi
May 29, 2016 at 7:14 AM
So the current palace is not good for him or not…misplaced priority
sharon stone
May 30, 2016 at 3:28 PM
name d oba sabi