Ooni condemns Igboho on threats of violence
By Aderonke Abass
The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Enitan Ogunwusi condemned reports that Mr Sunday Adeyemo would attack his person.
He said Adeyemo’s remark was a case of “threat to life” that security operatives should handle.
Ooni responded on attacks on his person and the agelong institution by the Yoruba self determination activist, aka Sunday Igboho.
In his response, the Ooni’s chief image maker, Moses Olafare, said no true Yoruba son or daughter would speak in such a manner as Mr Adeyemo has spoken. He said his speech represented his lowly esteem.
He said threats of attack on the Ooni raises questions about his upbringing and his mission in his “self-saddled responsibility of defending the Yorubas.”
Olafare, himself a well known Pan Yoruba icon said Mr Adeyemo was over reaching his limits.
Olafare said “We have not made any official statements on the matter and the matter does not really make any sense to us. If somebody who identifies himself with the cause of Yoruba could be talking in that manner about the Ooni who is indisputably a spiritual head of the race, then one must wonder whether or not the person has been representing us truly. It gives room to people to suspect your motive.”
He said Adeyemo made unfounded allegations
“You know when you make allegations that you cannot back up with evidence, that can only portray you as an irresponsible man. If you make unfounded allegations and then you want to use allegations to further justify your claims as the generalissimo of the race, it is up to the public. It’s so unfortunate, if you say the Ooni has collected money, I expected him to show evidence.”
Olafare said “You say he has collected dollars. Irresponsible allegation is irresponsible allegation if you cannot back up whatever you allege with acceptable evidence.”
Mr Olafare said the Ooni institution was shocked about Adeyemo’s remarks that the Ooni would be attacked violently.
“Well, he said that in a video that is well circulated and the video must have gotten to security agents who would see beyond what we are seeing. It is a threat to life if you say that if somebody is going, you’re going to waylay that person and fire him. If you’re bold enough to say that, to anybody not to talk of even an Ooni of Ife, I believe that security agents will see that as a threat to life. While we’re not ready to report any matter to security agents, I believe that they will know what to do.”
