•You’re forgiven, says monarch’s aide
A Yoruba rights activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also called Sunday Igboho, has asked for forgiveness from the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over a statement he made about the monarch’s visit to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Igboho had in virtual meeting tagged: ‘Town Hall Meeting with Yoruba in the Diaspora’, said Ooni disappointed the Yoruba for not telling President Buhari the truth when he met with him.
In the now viral video on Wednesday evening obtained by The Nation, Igboho said he had spoken with the monarch on the phone and begged him for forgiveness.
Igboho, who denied insulting the monarch, said: “I did not insult the Ooni.”
He, however, begged the traditional ruler to forgive him “if what I said appeared as an insult.”
Igboho said: “I have called our father, the Ooni of Ife and I have apologised to him. When I said those things, I was carried away by emotions. The killing of my people by herdsmen and the way our fathers in Yoruba land are handling the issue is giving me concern.
“I am a Yoruba man and I know it is not in our culture to insult elders. I have called the Kabiyesi and I have apologised to him. You can call him to confirm.
“Once again, I am begging our royal father to forgive me. It was a slip of tongue.
“Because I was pained by the issue, my tongue was caught up in a moment. I spoke according to how pained I was. It wasn’t the Ooni alone I directed my words at. I also did to other elders.
“It’s a case of father and child. The monarch and I have spoken as well as the Olugbon. I did not insult Ooni. If it appeared as if I did, he should forgive me.”
Following the apology Igboho tendered to the Ooni after he alleged that he (the monarch) had failed the Yoruba nation, the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Mr. Moses Olafare, said: “Igboho is forgiven.”
Speaking with The Nation, Olafare said Igboho remained Ooni’s son.
He said: “The Ooni has forgiven him as he has tendered an apology via a video clip he produced via social media yesterday evening.
“Before tendering the apology, it was the Olugbon of Ile-Igbon who first called and informed Arole Oodua on the phone that he had scolded Igboho about his misdeeds and that he would soon tender an apology to him on the matter. Igboho later released a video in which he tendered the apology.
“Although the manner Igboho behaved was sacrilegious to the Oduduwa throne, he has apologised and I can confirm that Arole Oodua has forgiven him because there is no perfection in humanity. Igboho is a human being.
“As the father of all, the Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, remains his father who has identified with him in the past two weeks he has begun the struggle. He is still solidly behind him for the liberation of the Yoruba from criminal herdsmen who have terrorised our land.”
