Aftermath Of Ooni’s Installation: Cold War In Ile-Ife

Fresh crisis is looming in Ile-Ife as a notable indigene of the town who contested the crown with the present Ooni Enitan Ogunwusi, Dr Rahman Adedoyin was alleged to be on war path with the palace.

Investigations revealed that the business mogul was fingered in smear campaign launched against the Ooni of Ife on the internet in the first week of the New Year by an unknown author maligning the person of the monarch.

It was gathered that Adedoyin still has grudges against the process that led to the emergence of the monarch last year as he perceived himself to be the anointed candidate of the late Oba Sijuwade hence had since been keeping records of the supposed mistakes of the present monarch ever since his inauguration.

Checks showed that on different occasions, the business mogul had shown his dislike for the Ooni even on social media platform where he has mentioned his reservation for some of the actions of the monarch.

One of the issues the business mogul had with the monarch is the resort the monarch is building on a land he (Adedoyin) believed is his exclusive right and had plans of expanding his business empire on it.

It was gathered that the mogul is having a strange relationship with indigenes of a neighbouring town, which is likely to cause a communal dispute between the peaceful communities in case the cold war escalates.

Findings in Ile-Ife revealed that illustrious indigenes of the ancient town both at home and in the diaspora have been condemning the actions of Adedoyin in the past months relating to his behaviour with the palace, believing such act amount to disrespecting the Yoruba traditional authority which the Ooni represent.

A press release issued by Prince Ayodeji Akintunde (A.k.A Sango of Africa), warned Dr. Adedoyin to refrain from any action that can directly or indirectly subject the revered royal stool of Ile-Ife and its occupant to mockery”.

In a swift reaction to the smear campaign circulated on the internet, the joint traditional rulers in Ile-Ife and its environ through a statement signed by the Alara Oodaiye of Araland in Ife, Oba Adebisi Segun Layade advised the people to disassociate themselves from the circulated material and urged all the traditional rulers in Ifeland, as well as the people to continue to support Ooni Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.

Also, a former member of the House of Representatives and a member of Osun Judicial Council, Hon Rotimi Makinde, in a statement said “the person who sponsored the alleged Ewi audio against Ooni is a mischief maker and enemy of progress”.

He added that the rapid development the Ooni is embarking upon both at home and abroad which keep increasing his profile is bound to attract envy and definitely sadist must react”.

However, in a paid advertorial in a broadcast media, the alleged mastermind of the Ewi exponent Dr Abdulrahman Adedoyin had disassociated himself from the circulating maligned audio material, as he said that he did not sponsor or circulate the materials.