* Threaten legal action over libelous publications, fake news, audios, videos
*Deny involvement in monarch’s marital affairs
* Say they live in Lagos, not Ooni’s palace
* Affirm support for brother monarch, royal families
Four sisters of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, have warned the media houses and bloggers against the campaign of calumny on their brother monarch and the Palace of Ile-Ife in Osun State.
The Ooni’s sisters: Folashade, Adeshola, Adebimpe, and Adedoja also denied any involvement in their brother’s marital affairs.
They also stated that contrary to certain media reports, they never lived in the Ooni’s palace but live in Lagos with their families and businesses. The sisters, under the aegis of Ooni Royal Sisters, therefore warned media houses and bloggers against linking them to the monarch’s marital issues.
The four sisters also asked those spreading negative videos, audios and articles about them to stop or face the legal consequences, saying that their lawyers have been briefed on the next line of action against errant media houses and bloggers.
The four sisters stated this in a statement made available to Theideal in Abuja on Wednesday.
The statement was signed on their behalf by the eldest sister, Princess Folashade Ogunwusi-Fadairo.
The statement reads in part, “We refer to the campaign of calumny presently ongoing in many media blogs, media houses, on the social media and by hatchet jobbers against our family targeting us, the sisters of the Ooni of Ife as being the cause of any or all forms of misunderstanding or ‘imaginary problems’ in the Palace.
“These despicable humans have been circulating the ‘fake’ news on various fake media outlets on matters none of them has an inkling of but will like to speak with unreserved authority.
“They have continually been inundated on many social media (fake & real) of our supposed intrusion into Kabiyesi’s private life.
“Some of the ‘fake’ information has continually claimed that we the Royal sisters (Yeye 1, Yeye 2, Yeye 3, Yeye 4) live in the palace and usurp all manners of communication, and/or information concerning the daily activities of the Palace.
“Since the Ooni of Ife ascended the throne of our forefathers, none of us (the sisters) has ever lived in the palace.
“None of us has ever been overtly or covertly been involved in any of the day-to-day activities of the palace.
“We do not make any decisions whatsoever and only visit the palace when there are special events that our family, the Giesi family, are required to be involved according to tradition.
“We all live in Lagos in our different homes with our different families and are extremely busy with our businesses.
“We have never stopped praying for the success of our revered King, peace in Yoruba land and prosperity to all our people.
“It is even very insultive that some untoward bloggers will sit in one corner of their homes across the world and in a bid to sell or get more attention will begin to churn out ‘lies’ maligning us and our different families. This must stop!
“Kabiyesi from inception has separated the entire family from the activities of ruling our people forthrightly without any hindrances.
“His selection of who should be his Olori/s is also done without any form of hegemony or disturbance from any of us or the family.
“We support our Olori/s and have kept away from any of the matters concerning the private life of our revered King and father.”
Theideal recalls that the Ooni’s wife, Queen Naomi Silekunola, had recently announced her divorce from the revered royal father through her verified Instagram/Facebook post while some bloggers have claimed that the Ooni’s sisters might be one of the reasons for the divorce.
Here is the Full Text of the statement:
We write as a united family of sisters in full support our revered King, the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II.
We refer to the campaign of calumny presently ongoing in many media blogs, media houses, on the social media and by hatchet jobbers against our family targeting us, the sisters of the Ooni of Ife as being the cause of any or all forms of misunderstanding or ‘imaginary problems’ in the Palace.
These despicable humans have been circulating the ‘fake’ news on various fake media outlets on matters none of them have an inkling of but will like to speak with unreserved authority.
Firstly, just like the kingmakers who selected the Giesi family house and our father the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, we personally hold strong our support of Kabiyesi on his immense wisdom, acumen, capability and high resolve to uphold the throne of our forefathers and align the interest of all Yorubas to be united and speak with one voice.
Secondly, in his immense wisdom, Kabiyesi from inception has separated the entire family from the activities of ruling our people forthrightly without any hindrances
His selection of who should be his Oloris is also done without any form of hegemony or disturbance from any of us or the family.
We support our Olori/s and have kept away from any of the matters concerning the private life of our revered King and father, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.
We have continually been inundated on many social media (fake & real) of our supposed intrusion into Kabiyesi’s private life. Some of the ‘fake’ information has continually claimed that we the Royal sisters (Yeye 1, Yeye 2, Yeye 3, Yeye 4) live in the palace and usurp all manners of communication, and/or information concerning the daily activities of the Palace.
This is Totally Untrue, Damning and Slanderous.
Since the Ooni of Ife ascended the throne of our forefathers, NONE of us (the sisters) has ever lived in the palace.
None of us have ever been overtly or covertly been involved in any of the day-to-day activities of the palace.
We do not make any decisions whatsoever and only visit the palace when there are special events that our family, the Giesi family are required to be involved according to tradition.
We all live in Lagos in our different homes with our different families and are extremely busy with our businesses
We have never stopped praying for the success of our revered King, peace in Yoruba land and prosperity to all our people.
It is even very insultive that some untoward bloggers will sit in one corner of their homes across the world and in a bid to sell or get more attention will begin to churn out ‘lies’ maligning us and our different families. THIS MUST STOP!
We hereby state categorically and request that as it is customary in all media outlets, all facts need to be clarified before publication.
Henceforth, any future unclarified and fake information spread by any media outlet, blog, or page about any of us sisters or our immediate families will be met with swift legal actions
Any further exposure of our individual families to unnecessary campaign of calumny by any individual or group will not be tolerated and will be met with legal actions.
We have informed our legal team to write to all international media handles that allow the publication of some of these fake news about the invasion of our individual privacies
We are also warning all those with negative videos, audios, and articles presently in circulation to ‘desist’ now or face the consequences.
While we cannot deny our royalty and love for our father, the Ooni of Ile Ife, we will not on our own entertain any form of destruction of our lives and invasion of our privacies.
Thank you.
Yours Sincerely
Princess Folashade Ogunwusi-Fadairo
For the Royal Sisters & Families
