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Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (the Ọjájá II) CFR (born 17 October 1974)[1] is the 51st and current Ooni of Ife. He is a traditional ruler and monarch of a Yoruba people of Ile-Ife. He ascended to the throne after the passing of Oba Okunade Sijuwade in August 2015.[2]
| Ọjájá II CFR | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ooni of Ife | |||||
 Ojájá II | |||||
| Ooni of Ife | |||||
| Reign | 26 October 2015 – present | ||||
| Coronation | 7 December 2015 | ||||
| Predecessor | Olubuse II | ||||
| Born | Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi 17 October 1974 Ile-Ife, Western State, Nigeria (now in Osun State, Nigeria) | ||||
| Spouses |
| ||||
| Issue |
| ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Giesi | ||||
| Dynasty | Giesi Dynasty | ||||
| Father | Prince John Oluropo Ogunwusi | ||||
| Mother | Princess Wuraola Ogunwusi | ||||
Ancestry
editỌba Ọjájá II was born Prince Adeyeye Enitan of Giesi ruling house, one of the four royal families of the House of Oranmiyan.[3] His paternal grandfather was Prince Joseph Olagbaju Adewole Ogunwusi, whose grandfather was Ọba Ọ̀ráyẹ̀gbà (also known as Ooni Orarigba or Orasigba) Ọjájá I, who was the 44th Ooni of Ife and ruled from 1878 to 1880. Through him, he is a direct descendant of Ooni Agbedegbede, who was a descendant of Ooni Giesi (the progenitor of the Giesi royal house), and thus a descendant of Ọọni Lajodogun. Lajodogun was a son of Ọọni Lajamisan (or Lajemisin), who was a grandson of the legendary founder of the Oyo Empire and Benin Empire, Oranmiyan. Oranmiyan was the son or grandson of the first Ooni of Ife, Oduduwa, and thus Ọba Ọjájá II is a descendant of Odùdùwà, one of the early rulers of Ilé Ifẹ̀.
His birth was said to have been predicted years before he was conceived; hence, the name Enitan was given by his mother, while his grandfather named him Adeyeye, which means "the crown befits the throne".[4] He is the fifth child in the family of seven.
Education
editYoung Ogunwusi started his elementary education at Subuola Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan. He then proceeded to Loyola College, Ibadan, and later to St. Peters Secondary School, Ile-Ife, where he received his secondary school certificate (SSCE). He graduated as an accountant from The Polytechnic, Ibadan.[5]
Professional career
editHe is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He is also an associate accounting technician.
Oba Ogunwusi is a certified member of the Institute of Directors. He is also a member of the Global Real Estate Institute.
He holds a number of honorary doctorate degrees: one in public administration from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and another in law from Igbinedion University.
He is the Chancellor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Selection and coronation
editOoni Adeyeye Ogunwusi was selected from the Giesi ruling house of Ile-Ife, among indigenes who were also heirs to the throne, on 26 October 2015. He took his oath of office same year on 7 December. Ogunwusi is the spiritual leader of Ile - Ife people, now saddled with the responsibility of making supplications to God and the Òrìṣà on behalf of his people and the world at large during annual festivals such as Olojo.[6]
Achievements
editShortly after his coronation, Ooni Ogunwusi met with the Alaafin of Oyo. The Oba is an advocate for the empowerment and emancipation of women and young people. Ogunwusi is also a renowned philanthropist[7] who is committed to humanity and an advocate for the less privileged. He has granted support over the years through the House of Oduduwa Foundation and, most recently, through the Hopes Alive Initiative.[8]
Personal life
editOgunwusi has been involved in a number of publicized relationships.
He had his first child, Adeola Aanuolouwapo Ogunwusi (born in May 1994), with Omolara Olatubosun in Ibadan when they were both teenagers. They are co-parents. In November 2021, Omolara granted an interview in which she mentioned that he was an absentee father for the first years of their child's life. They were never married.[9]
In 2008, Ogunwusi married Adebukola Bombata, from whom he separated in 2016.[10]
In March 2016, he married Zaynab Otiti Obanor from Benin. In 2017, Zaynab Otiti filed for divorce from Ogunwusi, and the divorce was finalized in August 2017.[11]
In October 2018, he married Prophetess Morenike Naomi Oluwaseyi.[12] In December 2021, Morenike Naomi posted on Instagram that they were separated,[13] but the statement was contradicted hours later by the palace.[citation needed] Naomi continues to play a prominent role in public life.[14]
Between September and October 2022, the Ooni married six women, the first being Mariam Anako, an Ebira of Kogi State origin, on 6 September 2022.[15] Then, Elizabeth Opeoluwa Akinmuda, an Ondo indigene, was betrothed to him on 7 September 2022. Thereafter, he married Tobi Phillips, an Okitipupa, Ondo State native, as his third wife on 9 October 2022. On 14 October 2022, he married Ashley Afolashade Adegoke, an Ile-Ife princess, as his fourth wife; and then, on October 20, 2022, he married yet another Ile-Ife Princess, Ronke Ademiluyi, as his fifth wife. Asake Temitope Morenike Adesegun became the Ooni's sixth wife on 24 October 2022.[16]
Awards
editIn October 2022, the Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Profile of Ogunwusi Ooni-elect". Vanguard. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ Josiah, Oluwole (25 August 2015). "Crisis in Ile-Ife as ruling houses battle over Oba Sijuwade's successor". Premium Times. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ Baro-Thomas, Dave (7 December 2015). "Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II: …the Man, his Passion and the Crown". Vanguard. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "Biography of H.I.M Oba (Dr) Adeyeye Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi (Ooni of Ife)". Vickie Robert Hospitality. 29 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ^ Kukogho, Samson (26 October 2015). "Polytechnic Ibadan graduate is new Ooni of Ife". pulse.ng. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ "Ooni of Ife: New Yoruba king crowned in Nigeria". BBC News. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ^ "Ooni Awards Scholarships To Secondary Schools Students". Premium Times. 28 March 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ^ Omiyale, Prince Adeoluwa Gbolagunte Folagbade (26 March 2018). "Ooni of Ife: Dawn of a New Era of Unity, Progress, Peace And Development in Yorubaland". The Marble. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
- ^ Owoyele, Tola (25 November 2021). "'You Were An Absentee Father' — Mother of Ooni's First Child Speaks Out for The First Time Ever". Foundation For Investigative Journalism. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "TIMELINE: Ooni Ogunwusi Adeyeye's Failed Marriages". Foundation For Investigative Journalism. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Augoye, Jayne (30 August 2017). "Olori Wuraola confirms marriage crash with Ooni of Ife". Premium Times. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Augoye, Jayne; Babatunde Akintunde (19 October 2018). "Ooni of Ife reveals new wife, Naomi Oluwaseyi". Premium Times. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ "BREAKING: Ooni's wife Naomi quits as queen". The Nation Newspaper. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Ajetunmobi, Maymunah (26 October 2022). "4 Times Queen Naomi Has Shared Beautiful Moments". Legit.ng. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ^ Bamigbola, Bola (7 September 2022). "Ooni marries new wife months after Naomi's exit". Punch. Nigeria.
- ^ "Meet 6 New Wives Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Married within 2 Months". 7 November 2022.
- ^ "Full List: 2022 National Honours Award Recipients". The Nation. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
External links
edit- "Why Oba of Lagos 'snubbing' Ooni of Ife shocked Nigeria". BBC News. 27 April 2017.