Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) was almost assaulted on Thursday by suspected agents of some traditional rulers, but for the vigilance and agility of his own aides who whisked him out of a meeting of the Osun State traditional Rulers, in Osogbo, the state capital. The drama was witnessed at the monthly meeting of Osun State Council of Obas, which ended abruptly with some aides of the Ooni having their attires torn into shreds while protecting their principal.
Thursday’s crisis started when some aides of Ooni Ogunwusi reportedly brought into the auditorium where the meeting was to hold a new white chair and stood by it awaiting the arrival of their principal. Upon arrival at the venue, few minutes after 9:00 am, when Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran and other monachs had taken their seat, it was also gathered that Oba Aromolaran went to the raised platform where Ooni’s seat was placed and ordered the aide watching over it to leave. To the surprise of the monarchs already seated, the Ooni’s aides reportedly dismissed Oba Aromolaran’s order.
“There was a kind of struggle and we just saw that white cloth of the Emese (Ooni’s aide) was torn and the meeting just ended before it commenced at all”, a source told The Daily Times. By the times the Ooni was to come into the meeting, the aide watching over his chair was being compelled to obey the Owa of Obokun’s orders, and he was reportedly rushed out and guided by his messengers to prevent him from being attacked by opposition monarchs. When contacted, Moses Olafare, the media aide to Ooni of Ife, said that the Ooni’s permanent chairmanship of the council was not contestable since there is a law that backs it. “Ooni will not want to be drawn into what happened, Oba Ogunwusi remained the permanent chairman of Osun Obas’ council, according to the law.”
As part of fallout of the council’s meeting, members of the council were seen leaving the Government House, Okefia, in motorcade after reportedly meeting with Governor Rauf Aregbesola, where the matter was resolved. In what was believed as the final resolution of the matter, the Ooni, in company of most members of the Obas’ Council, later went to the Owa’s place in Ilesha, where they held a closed door meeting with him. Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Oba Aromolaran, said Ooni’s visit was a surprise and least expected one, saying “now that you have come to show hand of friendship, I will now join your unity train to unify the Yoruba race.”
Responding, Ooni of Ife posited that the stool of Owa is among the prominent ones in Yorubaland, adding that “it is in my own interest and that of the larger Yoruba people to relate very well with Owa. I just spent about three months on the throne now, while you, Owa has spent about 45 years.” “It is my responsibility to visit you first because you have been on the throne for long. It has been said by the God almighty that I should come and liberate Yorubaland and to ensure peace and unity. I am not engaging in any supremacy of leadership tussle with anybody.”
Credit: DailyTimes
