Ooni of Ife to Welcome Sixth Wife in a Royal Thanksgiving Ceremony

Patrick OdeyMay 17, 2023

1 minute read

Ooni of Ife and his six wife Opeoluwa Akinmuda

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, is set to officially welcome his sixth wife, Opeoluwa Akinmuda, into his Royal Palace in Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Saturday, May 20.

According to the palace spokesman, Moses Olafare, the first-class Yoruba monarch tied the knot with Akinmuda in 2022, but she had been living abroad and would be formally introduced to the palace on Saturday.

Olafare said that the thanksgiving ceremony was in line with the cultural tradition of the palace and that Akinmuda had been Ooni’s wife since last year.

“There is nothing like latest wife; Dr Opeoluwa Elizabeth Akinmuda has been his wife since last year. The wedding took place last year right after Olori Mariam’s,” Olafare said.

“She was not based in Nigeria; she was based abroad. What is happening this weekend is a thanksgiving ceremony in line with cultural tradition of the palace so that she can formally get a seat at the palace.

“It’s just a formal traditional rite that will usher her into the palace. It’s a thanksgiving ceremony at the palace.”

Oba Ogunwusi has five other wives namely; Olori Mariam, Olori Tobi, Olori Ashley, Olori Ronke, and Olori Temitope.

The monarch married the six women last year after his former Queen Naomi Silekunola announced her separation from him on December 23, 2021, ending their three-year union that produced a son, Tadenikawo.

Despite the intervention of some Yoruba monarchs, the reconciliation efforts were unsuccessful.

Before his coronation in 2008, Ooni was married to Adebukola Bombata but they divorced. After his coronation in 2016, he married Zaynab-Otiti Obanor from Edo State but they parted ways after 17 months.

The monarch, who married Naomi in 2018, also has a daughter, Princess Adeola Ogunwusi, with Omolara Olatubosun.

The Ooni is not the only royal who has experienced marital separations. Other cases include the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi (Chanel Chin, December 2019); and the late Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi III (Anuoluwapo Adeyemi, November 2020).