Adamu Garba’s traditional title, Ooni of Ife refutes

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has denied that he would bestow a traditional title on former presidential candidate Adamu Garba.

On May 1, 2021, Garba declared that the monarch will bestow the title of Aare Atunluse of Oodua upon him.

Ooni deemed Garba “worthy of the title of Aare Atunluse Oodua Award of Honor to be bestowed on the 3rd World Omoluabi day 1st May 2021,” according to Garba.

He distributed a letter of invitation to the Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye’s World Omoluabi Day Festival.

A statement by Ooni’s Director of Media and, Moses Olafare, dissociated him from the award.

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It said that claims of the prize, which will be presented at the Ile-Ife-based Igbinmo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye’s World Omoluabi Day Festival, were false.

“While we are not aware of the event as slated, we expected the organisers to have sought and gotten the Ooni’s approval in respect of the award segment of the event.

“We have nothing against Mr. Garba, who is a wonderful young man, or any other person nominated for honors by the World Omoluabi Day Festival organizers, but doing so on behalf of the Ooni without his knowledge and proper approval is sacrilegious and unacceptable.”

Despite Ooni’s fatherly support for the festival so far, the statement said, “We hereby dissociate the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, and the ancient palace of Ife from the said award purportedly in the name of the Ooni.”