African Royalties

A happy birthday to His Imperial Majesty Alayeluwa Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II, AROLE ODUDUWA and 51st Ooni of Ife, Nigeria.

His Imperial Majesty was born on October 17th 1974 to Prince Aderopo Ogunwusi and Princess Wuraola Ogunwusi of the Giesi Royal House, Agbedegbede Compound. He is the the fifth child in a family of seven with elder sisters TRH Princess Folashade Ogunwusi, Princess Adesola Ogunwusi, Princess Adebimpe Ogunwusi and brothers Prince Adetunji and Prince Adegboyega

Before taking the Ooni staff, He was a chartered accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He worked with various national and multinational companies in Nigeria and around the world. He was also a real estate developer and businessman.

Following the death of the 50th Ooni, HIM Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II, The Ooni was chosen by the kingdom's kingsmen amongst the most eligible indigenes of the kingdom on October 26th 2015. He received his crown and staff on December 7th 2015.

In 2008, he got married legally to Adebukola Bombata who now resides in the United Kingdom. After taking his staff in 2015, he got married to Zaynab Otiti Obanor who became HRH Olori Wuraola in 2016. In 2017 The Ife Palace announced that the couple was separating and the Olori stripe of her titles becoming know Her Highness Queen Zaynab.

In October 2018, the palace announced that His Imperial Majesty pick Prophetess Morenike Naomi Oluwaseyi as a new wife and traditional wedding was held at the palace. Taking the title of Her Imperial Majesty Olori Silekunola Moronke Ogunwusi, Yeyeluwa is an evangelist and founder of En-Herald Ministries.


He is the father of one, a daughter HRH Princess Adeola Ogunwusi who recently graduated university in the United Kingdom with a master's degree in Urban Economic Development. 

Her Imperial Majesty looking majestic at the Olojo Festival

Photos Credits: HIM Ooni of Ife/Instagram/HIM Queen Silekunola/Instagram

On August 9th, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, The Arole Oodua and Ooni of Ife accompanied by his wife Her Imperial Majesty Olori Silekunola Ogunwusi (Yeyeluwa) attended the Imperial Awards hosted at the Universal event centre in Vaughan, Ontario. This year's theme was theMaiden Voyage

His Imperial Majesty is the founding patron of the awards that recognises and celebrates well-meaning individuals around the globe who had made a difference in social development and had courageously kept their integrity in their endeavours.

A few members of the diaspora where recognized for the social involvement included Award winning musicians Tuface Indiba, NBA Champions Toronto Raptors' President Masai Ujiri(who was awarded the Ojaja award for distinguish innovation), Nobel Laurate Wole Soyinka, Toronto Major John Tory and many others

Imperial Visits:

During their visit to the great North, Their Imperial Majesties had a business schedule. On August 8th, they attended Imperial Business Forum at the Ontario Investment trade centre in Toronto.

On August 10th, they attended an All White Royal boat Cruise, after which they visited the Hope4Sure foundation.

On Monday August 12th, Their Imperial Majesties were welcome to the City of Brampton by the Mayor of Brampton Patrick Brown and his wife Genevieve for a visit.

In his welcoming speech, Mayor Brown welcome the African monarch describing himself as being lucky receiving such a revered African king. He expressed and reminisce a previous trip he took to Nigeria and was happy with the explosion of cultures and great people. He also informed the Yoruba Spiritual Leader for the great positive social and economic work the Nigerian community as well as the about 60,000 Africans and Caribbeans community do in the city

During a ceremony of Proclamation Day, a Flag Exchange and presentation of city key done in his honour by the mayor, he gave a speech where he charged the Nigerian community led by His Excellency, Ambassador Adeyinka Asekun alongside senior officials of the embassy of Nigeria in Canada, in the spirit of patriotism, to come together and join the government and their fellow citizens in proffering solutions to the economic challenges facing the country.

Their Imperial Majesties are accompanied by the Nigerian ambassador to Canada, H.E, Adeyinka Asekun, HRM Oba Yisa Olanipekun, the Zaki of Arigidi-Akoko, HRM Oba Adekunle Oyeyemi, the Oloba of Oba-Ile,  and many others

Nigerian Farmers, yam lovers and many others gathered on August 5th at Ile Oodua palace for the annual yam festival.

His Imperial Majesty Alayeluwa Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II, 51st Ooni and AROLE ODUDUWA accompanied by Her Imperial Majesty Olori Silekunola Moronke Ogunwusi, Yeyeluwa Oodua and queen consort of Ife-Ife Kingdom hosted the 2019 edition of the New Yam Festival and invited to thousands of Ile Ife natives and guests from other parts of the country.

Before the festival was opened, His Imperial Majesty addressed everyone that peaceful coexistence is the secret to economic prosperity.

In his capacity as the Co-Chairman of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN) he that the country has suffered economically from the clashes between farmers and herders, he therefore charged the two groups to embrace peace as a tool to enhance productivity.

On the motivation behind the recent economic boom across Ile Ife markets, he described the ancient city as the one prominent for countless economic activities earlier before modern civilization.

“The abandoned ancient Oja-Ife market also spiritually known as Oja Ejigbom'ekun which is the first market in the world and others like the Itakogun and Ajifowobaje markets as well as Oja Tuntun have been revived to bring back the lost economic glories of Ile Ife.” The Ooni noted.

The African foremost monarch who is also the Spiritual father of all the Yoruba people worldwide closed his speech at the annual Yam Festival with prayers that Nigeria would soon defeat the insecurity menace currently facing the country.

He also prayed for economic progress and agricultural productivity while he symbolically sliced a tuber of yam which is a declaration that farm produce can now be consumed across Yorubaland, afterwh ich tubers of yam and other farm produce were shared among the excited participants.

Also attending was His Royal Majesty Oba Idowu Adediwura, Obalufe of Iremo-Ife,

His Imperial Majesty Alayeluwa Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi Ojaja II, 51st Ooni and AROLE ODUDUWA accompanied by Her Imperial Majesty Olori Silekunola Moronke Ogunwusi, Yeyeluwa Oodua and queen consort of Ife-Ife Kingdom are currently in Canada where they will be doing a 10 day royal visit.

Their Imperial Majesties arrived in Toronto Pearson International Airport where they were welcome by the Nigerian High Commission officials, members of the Nigerian diaspora.

During their royal visit to the prosperous Northern American country, they are scheduled to meet with several stakeholders in the country including the officials of the Nigerian embassy, Mayors and Members of Parliament who will honour him with a flag exchange and a proclamation Day.

A few honorable Nigerians are part of the delegation accompanying Their Imperial Majesties including: Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi and traditional rulers including His Imperial Majesty Oba Saliu Adetunji, Olubadan of Ibadan, are part of top dignitaries accompanying the Ooni on the trip.

They will also be visiting the Imperial Art Symposium and African Art Exhibition, African Affairs Business Forum at Ontario Trade and Investment and the Royal Day for SickKids Foundation.

Also, the Ooni shall declare open the Imperial Award Show and partake in an all-white Boat Cruise, attend Interdenominational Church Service as well as the Oodua Day Celebration.

The annual Imperial Awards is an initiative of Ooni Ogunwusi in recognition and celebration of outstanding individuals around the globe with records of meaningful contributions to the social development and who had courageously kept their integrity in their endeavours.

The annual celebration of Ita-Osun Festival which took part in Ife-Ife Kingdom on Saturday July 27th brought together indigenes, yorubas from around the world and also in Nigeria, and thousands of Osun faithfuls to the Ife-Ife palace.

His Royal Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife welcomed and led all attendees who stormed Ile Oodua Palace for the 2019 edition Ita-Osun Festival.

The Arole Oodua & Ooni of Ife who is not only one of the important leader of the Yoruba nation but is the spiritual leader of the Yoruba nation worldwide during a procession from his palace to the ancient Osun temple located at Ita-Osun area of Ilode community in the town was cheered by all present and across the community.

During the festival The Arole Oodua offered supplications to the deity, Osun Sengese. While addressing the media present, he briefly explain the importance and historical facts of the festival and its deity by describing Sengese as the progenitor of all water deities across the world, adding that the festival was meant to acknowledge the deity which is known for fortunes.

“As you all known that water is indispensable to our survival as human, Osun Sengese is a major deity in Yoruba land known for the performance of wonders through the water.

“Water has numerous healing and prosperity potentials as brought to us by Sengese, the mother of all water deities across the world.

“I pray that we shall always be fortunate, may our glory never be buried under water and may we never encounter flooding. Happy celebration.”

The festival which was witnessed by traditional rulers, high chiefs, Yoruba descendants from Brazil, Ireland Cuba who joined the Osun worshipers who had come from all the states of the Yorubaland, provides another ample opportunity for the teeming worshippers of the Osun River goddess within and outside the shores of Nigeria to converge on the historical city, it also created another leeway for the Ooni of Ife to promote and export the rich and fascinating heritage of  the Yoruba nation.