In a viral video, a middle-aged man claimed that he is the son of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. He later apologized to the revered traditional ruler. In the video, he claimed that the monarch had instructed him and his mother to remain discreet about his identity.
He further stated that the Ooni’s silence on his status as a prince prompted him to make the video. He even gave a two-month ultimatum, threatening to reveal more secrets if not invited to the palace.
Responding to the video, Moses Olafare, the spokesman for the Ooni, denounced the man’s claims as impersonation and reported the matter to security agencies. However, in another video that emerged later, the man apologized to the Ooni, citing dreams he had involving the king as his motivation.
The man recounted dreaming of the Ooni engaging him in a discussion in 2022 and receiving a wrist bead from him. He also mentioned another dream involving the Ooni a month prior to making the video. He explained that his intention in creating the video was to share the significance of his dreams with the Ooni and hopefully arrange a meeting.
Despite not mentioning his name in the videos, the man pleaded with the Ooni, insisting that his purpose was not to defame him but to seek his attention. He defended addressing the Ooni as his father, citing the king’s role as the leader of the Oduduwa descendants.
The palace spokesman reaffirmed the Ooni’s acknowledgment of all his children and condemned impersonation. He stressed the Ooni’s commitment to preserving Yoruba cultural heritage and warned against fraudulent activities that could tarnish its legacy.
