Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
Oba Ojutalayo, who is the Chairman of ‘40 New Dawn Oba’ in Ile Ife, said Oba Akiolu would be given a warm embrace anytime he visited the Ooni in his palace.
Speaking in an interview with Punch in Osogbo on Friday, Oba Ojutalayo said Ooni is interested in the success of his unity project than any battle of supremacy, adding that Ogunwusi would not stop respecting Akiolu in spite of the incident.
He said, “There has been so much said about what happened between Oba Akiolu and our father, the Ooni of Ife. We must look at it from the standpoint of the Ooni, who is holding in his hand the mantle of peace and in word and deed, he remains a man of peace. I am sure in his heart, he has already forgiven Oba Akiolu.
“This is another history and it is always in the making, but there is nothing sweeter than having peace and at the end of the day, when the Oba of Lagos comes to Ife, it will be with warm embrace from the magnanimous heart of the Ooni.”
He advised monarchs to refrain from acts that could show them in a bad light, especially in public.
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