The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has expressed disappointment in a statement credited to the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom, a town in Ilaje, Ondo State, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, describing the Yoruba heroine, Moremi, as a traitor.
Oba Ogunwusi, in a statement by his media aide, Moses Olafare, wondered how a right thinking person and a Yoruba monarch should refer to Moremi as a traitor just because she used her power of a woman to liberate her people from incessant invasions by some faceless terrorists?"
The Olugbo was quoted to have said in a media report that "Our forefathers descended from heaven, that is why we are called ‘Ugbo Atorunwo.’ We are not Ibos (Igbos), who are from the South-East, and who have their own clearly researched and defined ancestry. To set the record straight, Moremi remains a traitor. She was a slave captured by Ugbo warriors during one of their many raids on Ile-Ife. She later became the wife of Osangangan Obamakin, the son of Oranfe, of who was the paramount ruler of over 13 aboriginal communities of ancient Ugbomokun, which later came to be called Ile Ife.
"Oduduwa came to Ugbomokun as a stranger and was welcomed in Ilero, the aboriginal palace of Osangangan Obamakin, which is still in existence in present-day Iremo, in Ile Ife. During the dynastic struggles, Osangangan Obamakin was directed by the oracles (Ifa and Osanyin) to leave Ile Ife. Moremi betrayed her husband’s trust when she exposed the secret of the Ugbo warriors’ gallantry."
In his reaction to the Olugbo's statement, Oba Ogunwusi further said: "The attention of ILE-OODUA has been drawn to a statement credited to Oba Frederick Akinruntan through the Olugbo-in-Council berating the people of ILE-IFE for celebrating MOREMI AJASORO as a heroine and goddess of liberty.
"This outburst of OLUGBO can only be viewed by the well meaning people as a mere royal rascality and a pitiable act of absurdity that doesn't deserve serious attention by serious minded people."
The Ooni said the people of Yoruba race "remain very proud of the great queen Moremi Ajasoro, a brave woman who sacrificed her only son OLUOROGBO for the victory of her people over the faceless terrorists who used incessantly raid Ife markets, we will not dignify this rascality of royalty with an expected response as we are not ready for any useless supremacy battle incapable of taking Yoruba to a greater height.
"Most paramount on my mind as Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II with the unflinching support of baba Alaafin, baba Awujale, baba Alake, baba Orangun, baba Deji, babe Ewi, baba Osemawe, baba Olubadan, Oba of Lagos and other relevant peace loving monarchs in Yorubaland and in other parts of the country is and remains the much needed progress of Yoruba nation which can only be catalyzed by peace and unity. This has necessitated my unimaginable barrier-breaking unity visits I have been taking around not only in Yorubaland but also across Nigeria and internationally. These activities in the last one year on throne are enough to attest to my personality as a king of peace.
"It is a pity that at this time when everybody is tired of retrogressive royal discord generally agreed to have colossally hindered our pace of progress as a people of common heritage politically and socio-economically, the OLUGBO, who claims to be the chairman of Yoruba Obas Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, has suddenly, without a deep knowledge of Yoruba history, woken up to see royal controversy as the only tool for cheap publicity.
"As Ooni I am not interested in joining issues with Oba Akinruntan or anyone on any matter that can jeopardize our peace and unity project which is already making impact in so many sectors, including the youth development, women empowerment, cultural tourism, agricultural revolution, unification of our elders and traditional rulers, to mention but a few.
"We, therefore, urge every lover of peace and unity in Africa to ignore any reckless statement capable of further dividing us, they should rather see the author of such statement as a person who poses a too armful danger to our peaceful coexistence.
Yoruba must remain united, Nigeria must remain united, Africa must remain united and the entire black worldwide must remain united because we are one before the Almighty God." END
Oba Ogunwusi, in a statement by his media aide, Moses Olafare, wondered how a right thinking person and a Yoruba monarch should refer to Moremi as a traitor just because she used her power of a woman to liberate her people from incessant invasions by some faceless terrorists?"
The Olugbo was quoted to have said in a media report that "Our forefathers descended from heaven, that is why we are called ‘Ugbo Atorunwo.’ We are not Ibos (Igbos), who are from the South-East, and who have their own clearly researched and defined ancestry. To set the record straight, Moremi remains a traitor. She was a slave captured by Ugbo warriors during one of their many raids on Ile-Ife. She later became the wife of Osangangan Obamakin, the son of Oranfe, of who was the paramount ruler of over 13 aboriginal communities of ancient Ugbomokun, which later came to be called Ile Ife.
"Oduduwa came to Ugbomokun as a stranger and was welcomed in Ilero, the aboriginal palace of Osangangan Obamakin, which is still in existence in present-day Iremo, in Ile Ife. During the dynastic struggles, Osangangan Obamakin was directed by the oracles (Ifa and Osanyin) to leave Ile Ife. Moremi betrayed her husband’s trust when she exposed the secret of the Ugbo warriors’ gallantry."
In his reaction to the Olugbo's statement, Oba Ogunwusi further said: "The attention of ILE-OODUA has been drawn to a statement credited to Oba Frederick Akinruntan through the Olugbo-in-Council berating the people of ILE-IFE for celebrating MOREMI AJASORO as a heroine and goddess of liberty.
"This outburst of OLUGBO can only be viewed by the well meaning people as a mere royal rascality and a pitiable act of absurdity that doesn't deserve serious attention by serious minded people."
The Ooni said the people of Yoruba race "remain very proud of the great queen Moremi Ajasoro, a brave woman who sacrificed her only son OLUOROGBO for the victory of her people over the faceless terrorists who used incessantly raid Ife markets, we will not dignify this rascality of royalty with an expected response as we are not ready for any useless supremacy battle incapable of taking Yoruba to a greater height.
"Most paramount on my mind as Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II with the unflinching support of baba Alaafin, baba Awujale, baba Alake, baba Orangun, baba Deji, babe Ewi, baba Osemawe, baba Olubadan, Oba of Lagos and other relevant peace loving monarchs in Yorubaland and in other parts of the country is and remains the much needed progress of Yoruba nation which can only be catalyzed by peace and unity. This has necessitated my unimaginable barrier-breaking unity visits I have been taking around not only in Yorubaland but also across Nigeria and internationally. These activities in the last one year on throne are enough to attest to my personality as a king of peace.
"It is a pity that at this time when everybody is tired of retrogressive royal discord generally agreed to have colossally hindered our pace of progress as a people of common heritage politically and socio-economically, the OLUGBO, who claims to be the chairman of Yoruba Obas Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, has suddenly, without a deep knowledge of Yoruba history, woken up to see royal controversy as the only tool for cheap publicity.
"As Ooni I am not interested in joining issues with Oba Akinruntan or anyone on any matter that can jeopardize our peace and unity project which is already making impact in so many sectors, including the youth development, women empowerment, cultural tourism, agricultural revolution, unification of our elders and traditional rulers, to mention but a few.
"We, therefore, urge every lover of peace and unity in Africa to ignore any reckless statement capable of further dividing us, they should rather see the author of such statement as a person who poses a too armful danger to our peaceful coexistence.
Yoruba must remain united, Nigeria must remain united, Africa must remain united and the entire black worldwide must remain united because we are one before the Almighty God." END
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