ON A TRAIL OF REMINISCENCE: OONI OF IFE’S YOUNGER SISTER RECALLS GROWING UP WITH THE POWERFUL MONARCH

Typical of sisters who are reputed to share childhood memories and grown up dreams, Princess Adebimpe Ogunwusi, one of the younger sisters of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, is not coy about talking about his beloved brother. According to the health practitioner who says she hasn’t got used to her brother becoming the all-powerful Ooni, “We still haven’t adjusted.

I am still getting used to it by the day. Before he became Ooni in those good old days, anytime I see him, the first thing I do was to put my head on his chest. I am so fond of him. I missed that a lot. Though, we still talk, it’s not like before. When we were growing up, we used to fight a lot. Yes, I miss that too. I miss the way we play and run around the house. The four of us are super close. I mean Kabiyesi and his three sisters. Now, he is the father of all. I don’t have him to myself anymore.” Adebimpe, who turned 40 in May and chose to celebrate with her sisters in the United Sates with support from the Ooni, recalled that even their boys, including Prince Adegboyega, the eldest and Prince Adetunji, who also had his eye on the stool, are close too. “Before my brother became Kabiyesi, all of us used to play. They did things in common. They had businesses together. But he is now in Ife at the palace. They are in Lagos.

Our first born is Prince Adegboyega Ogunwusi who is more in Ife these days. Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi is my elder brother too. We look alike. People used to call me Adetunji Obinrin because we look alike. I bless God for my parents. They kind of brought us together.” Bubbly and brainy, Princess Adebimpe however said the change in status and her turning 40 have tempered her adventurous, carefree streak. She said, “I am no longer the Bimpe I used to be. Now, when we go to parties, my sisters would tell me to comport myself because in my normal way, I would just jump up and free myself, greeting people. My senior sister, Princess Folashade, will say don’t stand up, comport yourself o; you know you are now a princess, you have to comport yourself.

If I tell her I want to say something in public when we go out, she would tell me to shut up. It’s a great transformation. In terms of dressing too, I used to put on my shorts and Tee shirt. Now, I can’t do that. The way I dress now has changed. We wear more of ‘boubou’ now.’

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