Ooni of Ife Breaks Protocol Again To Greet Governor Adeleke
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has once again stirred controversy by standing up and reaching out to shake hands with the Governor of Osun state, Ademola Adeleke, during a visit to the state on Wednesday.
This is the second time in two months that the Ooni has violated the traditional protocol of staying seated and receiving homage from his guests, especially political leaders. In November, he was criticized by some of his subjects and social media users for doing the same thing when he met with Governor Adeleke at an event in Lagos.
Many people believe that the Ooni, as the paramount ruler of the Yoruba people, should be revered and respected by all, and that the governor should be the one to prostrate before him, not the other way round. They see the Ooni’s gesture as a sign of weakness and disrespect to the throne.
However, some others have defended the Ooni, saying that he is a humble and progressive monarch who does not care about titles or status, but rather about fostering unity and peace among the people. They also praised Governor Adeleke for being courteous and respectful to the Ooni, despite his political position.
The Ooni has not commented on the issue, but he has previously stated that he is not interested in the politics of power, but in the welfare of his people. He has also been known to promote cultural and religious harmony among the diverse groups in Nigeria.
