The paramount ruler of Yoruba kingdom and Ooni of Ife,
Oba Babatunde Enitan Ogunwusi has described the statement credited to
Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru
Akinruntan that Moremi was never a heroine and that she was a betrayer as very
unfortunate and total embarrassment to Yoruba nation.
In a statement made
available to cityin190 from the Director of media and public affairs to Arole
Oodua, Comerade Moses Olafare, described such statmenet from Olugbo as a mere royal rascality and a pitiable act of
absurdity that doesn't deserve serious attention by serious minded people.
In his words, “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.
“How on earth should a
Yoruba king 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”?
While we 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 the
mind of His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II with the
unflinching support of baba Alaafin Of Oyo, baba Awujale of Ijebuland, baba
Alake of Egbaland, baba Orangun of Ila, baba Deji of Akure, baba Ewi Ado Ekiti,
baba Osemawe of Ondo kingdom, baba Olubadan of Ibadanland, 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 his unimaginable
barrier-breaking unity visits he has been taking around not only in Yorubaland
but also across Nigeria and internationally. his activities in the last one
year on throne are enough to attest to his personality as a king of peace”.
Olugbo in a statement
issued was quoted saying, “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.”
The statement said
further, “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.” Oba Akinruntan said.
Oba Obateru Akinruntan further
set a bad precedence by saying, “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.
Arole Oodua futher said
in his statement through his media aide, Moses Olafare that, “It is a pity that
at this time when everybody is lucidly 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”.
“Kabiyesi Ooni is not
interested in joining issues with Oba Akinruntan or anyone on any matter that
can jeopardize his peace and unity project which is already making impact in so
many sectors such as Youth development, women empowerment, cultural tourism,
agric 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”.
Olafare said
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