The father of Omolara Olatubosun, who has a daughter for the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said the relationship between his family and that of the traditional ruler is cordial.
The septuagenarian, Chief Oladapo Olatunbosun, said his relationship with Oba Adeyeye’s father, Chief John Ogunwusi, which dates back to 1970 while they were colleagues at the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service, remained intact till date.
Omolara’s father said this in a statement sent to our correspondent in response to some questions about the media altercation between his daughter and the Ooni.
Omolara had a daughter for the Ooni when she was 19 years old.
On October 18, 2021, when the daughter, Princess Adeola, turned 28, the Ooni took to his official Instagram and Facebook pages to celebrate her.
Among other things, the Ooni wrote, “I equally realised that being a single parent to a daughter in an unfamiliar footprint can be a major shift in human experience and a daunting journey as you need to help your child to navigate day to day social situations, complex feelings, and developmental changes that life prescribes.”
However, Omolara, who spoke in an interview with The PUNCH last week, expressed displeasure with the Ooni’s claim of raising Adeola as a ‘single parent’.
She said contrary to Ooni’s claim, the monarch was not present in the child’s life, especially in the first 10 years.
Omolara said the only time the Ooni saw their child after her birth was at a wedding.
Responding to the altercation between his daughter and the Ooni, Omolara’s father, Olatunbosun, said the feelings of the 28-year-old princess should have been considered above everything else before the exchange between the parents.
The 78-year-old ex-broadcaster and poet said as a Yoruba man and a culture exponent, he would never speak ill of or disrespect the Ooni, who he described as a man of integrity.
He said, “I can vouch for the integrity of my noble friend, Baba Oba John Oluropo Ogunwusi, and Oònirìsà Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Òjája, too.
“As a man known for Yorùbá culture and traditions, I will always respect the stool of Oduduwa and Àrólé Oduduwa. I am not a bastard.
“That noble family has never done anything wrong to my family to warrant arrogantly damaging their reputation in the mass media or the press. I am not a bastard.”
He added, “Meanwhile, the child at the centre of it all is a 28-year-old adult, who is old enough to be a head of state, like General Yakubu Gowon. Princess Adeola is still a spinster at the age of 28 years and would need peace of mind and not any public distraction from me or anybody else. Her happiness in life is more paramount now, for anybody who loves her and her progress in life.”
