๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง โ ๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฎ-๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง
A middle-aged man who claimed in a viral video that he is a son of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has finally 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.
โOba Enitan Ogunwunsi is my father. He hid me with my mother with a clear instruction that I must not reveal myself,โ the man dressed in a white Agbada had claimed in Yoruba.
He further claimed that the monarchโs 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 will reveal more secrets.
Reacting to the video on Thursday, Moses Olafare, the spokesman for the Ooni in a statement said the man in the viral video had engaged in impersonation, noting that the matter had been reported to security agencies for further action.
However, in another video that surfaced online on Friday, the man was seen apologising to the traditional ruler.
The man 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, โI 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.
โUpon 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.
โThree 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 Ooniโs palace.โ
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, โI created the video after returning home from Ooniโs 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.
โFurthermore, 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.
โA 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 emphasize my desire to meet the Ooni. This is why I referred to the Ooni as my father in the video.โ
The man who did not mention his name in the first and second video clips seen by PUNCH Online, however, pleaded with Ooni that he did not make the videos to defame him.
โMy 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,โ 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.
โNevertheless, 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,โ 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.