A middle-aged man who claimed in a viral video that he is a son of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi has apologised to the foremost traditional ruler.
In the first video, the man claimed the monarch hid him with his mother with an instruction that he should stay discreet.
“Oba Enitan Ogunwunsi is my father. He hid me with my mother with a clear instruction that I must not reveal myself”, the man dressed in a white Agbada had claimed in Yoruba.
He further claimed that the monarch’s silence on his identity as a prince compelled him to make the video.
He gave a two-month ultimatum to be invited to the palace, or he would reveal more secrets.
Reacting to the video in a statement on Thursday, Ooni’s spokesman, Mr. Moses Olafare said that the man in the viral video had engaged in impersonation, noting that the matter had been reported to security agencies for further action.
In another video that surfaced online on Friday, the man was seen apologising to the traditional ruler.
He said he had earlier seen the Ooni in a dream in 2022 engaging him in a discussion after which he gave him a wrist bead.
He claimed he had another dream involving the Ooni a month ago.
He said: “I have a reason for creating that video. In 2022, I found myself beside the Ooni in my dream, engaging in discussions. Initially, I was unaware that it was a dream because Kabiyesi gave me the bead on my wrist. However, when Kabiyesi raised my hand, that was when I woke.
“Upon waking, I was perplexed about how I had encountered the Ooni of Ife but later concluded that he is the father of Oduduwa land. Dreaming about him is not unusual or inappropriate. I have never dreamt about an Oba before; typically, I dream about governors, not an Oba.
“Three days after this dream, I travelled to Ile-Ife in an attempt to meet the Ooni. Despite all my efforts, I could not see Kabiyesi, and I departed in the evening after spending the entire day at the Ooni’s palace”.
He said since he was unable to meet the traditional ruler he resorted to creating the video as a means to attract his attention.
He continued: “I created the video after returning home from Ooni’s palace because I sensed there was a significance behind the dream I had about him. Additionally, I produced music with the hope that when Ooni sees it online, he may extend an invitation to me.
“Furthermore, I reached out to someone in Canada to recommend a contact who could facilitate a meeting with the Ooni. The person recommended to me, guided me through certain protocols, but all attempts to meet the Ooni or have him listen to my music proved unsuccessful.
“A month ago, I dreamt of the Ooni once more, and I pondered what significance it might hold. As a creator of skits, I decided to produce the final skit to further emphasise my desire to meet the Ooni. This is why I referred to the Ooni as my father in the video”.
The man who did not mention his name in the first and second video clips seen by reporters, pleaded with Ooni that he did not make the videos to defame him.
“My esteemed father, please do not be displeased with me. I did not create the video to defame you; rather, I made it to attract your attention so that I could narrate my dream to you and hopefully meet you”, he said.
He added that it was not an error to address the Ooni as his father because he is the leader of the Oduduwa descendants.
“Nevertheless, you remain my father because you are the father of Oduduwa land. I implore Nigerians not to spread my video to defame the Ooni, as its purpose was to seek his attention”, he said.
While commenting on the first video, the palace spokesman had said Oba Ogunwusi, being a responsible father and custodian of tradition, knows and acknowledges all his children and would stop at nothing to take full responsibility for them.
He declared that the self-acclaimed prince is unknown to the palace and the Ile-Ife populace, saying “He is not a child of Ooni Ogunwusi as fraudulently claimed, but also never related in any way to any lineage of the Ogunwusi royal family and the Giesi Royal Compound of Ile-Ife at large”.
Olafare also called on the said impersonator to refrain from engaging in or promoting such deceptive practices, assuring all that the House of Oduduwa remains committed to preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people and would not tolerate any attempt to undermine or tarnish its legacy through fraudulent means.
