The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, surely knows how to draw attention to himself. Since he ascended the throne of his ancestors, he has continued to be in the news for different reasons, negative and positive. And at different times, he has set tongues wagging over his actions and inactions, particularly about his marriages.
But the revered monarch seems not to give a hoot about this.
The tall and handsome king, in the past few weeks, has literally set the internet on fire, as he has gone on a marriage spree. He has taken to the altar six beautiful brides, with enviable status each, in quick succession within one month.
In September when he married the Ebira-born Mariam Anako, not many foresaw that he would bring home several others until he married Dr. Elizabeth Akinmuda the same month.
Though many had thought that he was going to stop at that, he brought in Olori Tobi Phillips almost immediately. The king, again, increased the list in October with yet another Olori, Ronke Ademiluyi, with whom he had been linked from his younger years in London. Also in October, he married Princess Temitope Adesegun, a niece to a former Works Commissioner and Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun.
Since then, his marriages had become a major discussion across the country, especially on the internet. In fact, it is one of the trending discussions on Twitter.
The seventh, according to a source, would join the long list this week. Sources who are close to the palace revealed that the Ooni would not stop until he acquires nine or 12 wives before the year ends. What a record!
The story of his married life took a different dimension when his marriage to Olori Wuraola broke up. Shortly after the break up in 2017, the Ooni was romantically linked with several ladies. But the monarch was always quick to deny any romantic affair with any of the ladies, who allegedly threw themselves at him owing to his status.
He had always been criticized over his single status but would later shut up naysayers after he married Shilekunola Naomi Oluwasheyi.
However, the marriage that produced a son, Tadenikawo, couldn’t stand the test of time, as it collapsed in 2021.
To say many were shell-shocked was an understatement when the evangelist turned Olori posted her separation from the monarch. She would later release an epistle on her verified Instagram account, disclosing that she had relinquished her role as an Olori to the youthful Ife monarch. Those close to the monarch disclosed that it was a slap to him and the embarrassment was simply unbearable.
A few days after her exit from the palace, some sources revealed that she regretted posting the messages on social media, calling off her union with the king rather than addressing the issues personally with him.
Some had predicted that the matrimonial ‘crisis’ would be settled in no time. But this was not to be as the mother of one has since become a history in the life of the monarch.
A source revealed that one of the reasons Kabiyesi has decided to go into acquiring women is not to be caught off guard by any woman anymore.
