Ooni Hosts Olowo Of Owo In Ile-Ife, Narrates Affinity Of Ife And Owo Kingdom

The Arole Oodua and Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, on Monday narrated the history of Owo kingdom while hosting the new Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, who had come to visit the Ooni.

While telling the interesting history of Owo, Ooni Ogunwusi who is the Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN) explained that Olowo remains very relevant in the ancient city of Ile Ife, adding that he left Ife to discover Owo just like other crown princes left to establish their respective domains across the world. He said that Ile-Ife is home to all.

“It will amaze you to know that I am related to Owo because my mother of blessed memory was from the ancient Iloro quarters in Ile Ife; the place from which the Owo people migrated to their current location in Ondo State. The remaining members of Iloro after the migration formed the prominent Opa lineage in Ife where my mother hailed from.

“That is the story of Oodua’s descendants for you, we have a symbiotic relationships and that is why we all must continue to unite and find peace through meetings and visitations like this. Ife belongs to all descendants of Oduduwa who remains our unifying symbol and we the current natives of Ife are caretakers looking after the wellbeing of the source of human race on behalf of everyone.

“Let me congratulate the new Olowo and the good people of the ancient Yoruba town once again; I wish you a long peaceful reign on the throne of your ancestors.” The Ooni said.

Accompanied by the immediate past Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Ponle, Oba Gbadegesin extolled Ooni Ogunwusi for his commitment towards the unification of the Yoruba race and Africa as a whole. The Owo monarch noted that the Ooni’s efforts and activities of peace and unity have been yielding positive results.

“I am happy to be back to our source and I am happy that our rich cultural values here are still intact. With what I have seen here today through the dance, folklores, songs and dressings, I can say I am proud to be back home. We all migrated from here.

“Ile Ife and Owo have a lot to do together and that is why we must ensure that our relationship of countless decades and centuries remains intact for the prosperity of our subjects. I am a believer in the potentials of our culture and that is why I have in my own capacity joined the Ooni as Arole Oodua to protect and promote it.”

Other dignitaries at the event were; the Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife who is an indigene of Owo, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, Prince Rotimi Ibidapo and Olowo’s queen, Olori Adenike Ajibade among others.

The excited crowd and dignitaries were entertained Ile Ife and Owo traditional entertainment groups.