Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ooni of Ife, has said that he will continue to give due respects to the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, despite the humiliation the latter meted to him at a social event on Tuesday.
Oba Ogunwusi, who is regareded as the premier traditional ruler in Yorubaland, said he was neither miffed nor perturbed by the insult directed to his royal office and the whole of Yoruba race by Akiolu’s antics.
The Director of Media and Public Affairs of the Ooni’s Palace released a statement from Oba Ogunwusi on Wednesday evening – his first reaction since the Tuesday incident.
“Nobody should castigate anybody for doing what he did because of the position he holds and because of his age… Ooni would not stop to accord his colleagues and every category of people the respect they deserve.”
“The Ooni of Ife is not ready to make any official statement over what happened between him and the Oba of Lagos. He still holds Oba Akiolu in high esteem and what happened yesterday will not stop the Ooni from holding him in high esteem.”