The supposed dissolution of the three- year old marriage between the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunsusi, Ojaja II, and his Queen, Silekunola Naomi Ogunwusi has continued to generate unending controversy making it global attention via the digital media
The manner, circumstances and nature of the news was not only strange but shocking and disappointing particularly learning the fact that a marriage doused in traditional vestiges in the home of Silekunola Naomi’s parent was single-handedly dissolved via an announcement of ‘ a divorce notice ‘ by the erstwhile Queen of Oduduwa via her Instagram.
Since the release of her’ I have moved on ‘ a letter purportedly written by Queen Naomi where she analysed her reasons for singlehandedly dissolving and divorcing the Ooni, the global digital and social media has been taken over by self-appointed judges, critics, bloggers and commentators spewing and making judgemental statements without burrowing into the root cause of the crisis.
Though Queen Naomi explained in her ‘ divorce letter’ that her decision to divorce the revered Monarch was not based on an allegation of immoral conduct against him
According to her
“Let it be known that this decision to move on did not come because his majesty is married to another queen. As many would love to assume, throughout our life as a couple, I was the only married wife to him. There were side attractions, but it was never an issue.’
She also never mentioned maltreatment, harassment or untoward behaviour from the King in her three years marriage
All that she pointed out in the letter was the general experience expected of a typically responsible lady should go through in a typical African marriage.
‘ I did my best to endure and make it work; many times, I smiled through the struggle, but I have finally realised I had just one assignment, my son, and when God is done, He is done. He chose Saul to be king, and when He was done, He told the prophet Samuel I have moved on. Religion was never an issue between us; please refer to my interview on News Central TV. Instead, His Majesty has a picture he would love the world to see and perceive him as and another one, which is his true self’
Going through the letter, one should ask himself, are these genuine issues or good grounds for a divorce?
Has the marriage broken down irretrievably? No
Has there been an allegation of adultery? No
Is there an allegation of dissertation? No
Insanity? No
Then if these characteristics or grounds of divorce are not pointed out by Naomi in her letter of divorce something must be wrong somewhere particularly as the palace has kept mum over the issue.
This and the fact that not a single effort has been made to unveil the real issue behind the ‘ I moved on ‘ letter of divorce on Naomi’s Instagram page.
The fact
According to Factcheckers, an independent investigative blogger in its finding uncovered five major reasons
- Ooni’s impetuosity at empowering the family of whoever he wedded
- His eagerness and unfettered desire of making any marriage work by over pampering and over satisfying his spouse
- Naomi’s Childish and youthful exuberance and her agrarian affection for her family member
- Cross level mentality or class up the ante
5 Naomi’s mum, her brother Gbenro and the gold-digging attitude of the family.
An investigation by Factcheckers uncovered an Ooni Ojaja who was smarting out of a controversial marriage believing he must of necessity and image married a God-fearing lady who will be able to be a Queen in need and deeds. Some elements of which she found in youthful Silekuola hence she decked her in surplus latitude and wide discretion.
The first was the issue of not tampering with and being a cog in her ministrations enterprise
This comes in two folds, that the lady will be shuffling between Akure her base and Ife her home.
Also, that she will be left alone to carry on with her prophetic business.
Both granted.
In making her comfortable at executing this, the Ooni relocated the family of her Queen from the room and parlour accommodation outside Akure and planted them in a palatial duplex at Ijapo GRA in Akure with 24 hours monarchical attention.
Silekunola moved every member of her family, the Mum, all her singing, Simi, Gbenro her brother and six others into the house.
And whenever she moved to Ife also, she does with all the trains and family wagon.
At Ile – Ife, immediately the marriage was consummated and a private residential quarter was allocated to the Queen, all the above members of her family were always there with her. Whether Naomi’s mum was always staying there permanently whether her daughter was in Ile – Ife or not.
Factcheckers found out that Naomi’s prefers staying in Akure for her ministration works. And to her credit, she has never kept a straight one week in Ile – Ife to attend to the king neither has she cooked a pot of soup or ordinary egg by herself for the Monarch not once since their marriage.
According to the investigation, the golden rule in the palace is that ‘ The Queen and her family must be comfortable ‘ Thus the deliberate lapping up of the excesses of Queen Naomi’s family particularly the Queen mum who always go to the market to buy things on ‘ won’t you sell to the Queen’s mother?’ and Gbenro, a former trailer conductor who was heavily rehabilitated by the Ooni.
It was even found out that Silekunola has a strong attachment with her family and thrice told the Ooni of Ife that if the occasion warrants her picking an option between he Ooni and Tadenikawo on one hand and her family on the other, she will not bit an eye to opt for her family.
And this according to the investigation was displayed by her during the last coronation anniversary that she refused to attend the major occasion just because the Ooni refused to send a special convoy to come and pull her and all her family in Akure even though she has 7 cars and retinue of attendants at her disposal.
The investigation revealed that Queen Naomi’s mannerism and modus operandi was tolerable by the Ooni but her family’s patent idiosyncracies were contemptible particularly Simi, the lady whose weird dance, nearly brought down the roof of the hall during one of the events of the royal, the mum’s waywardness and Gbenro, her unemployed brother who is intoxicated with the simplicity and generosity of the Ooni.
Since her marriage to the Ife Monarch, it was discovered that her mother, her brother (Uncle) and other siblings reside in the palace until a few weeks ago when the Ooni insisted her mother and siblings must vacate the palace as the ostentatious life being lived and the untoward attitude disgraces the monarch especially among his friends, who have become “mugus” of the olori family waywardness.
However, the last straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back was the decision of the Ooni at emancipating and empower the family of his wife forever.
An opportunity emerged from a long dream of the Ooni who wish to plant the most luxurious Housing and Property Resort in South-West Nigeria.
A project of 20 billion nairas in Akure, Ondo State.
He this decided to appoint the firstborn of his Queen mum, Gbenro who has nothing tangible to do than feasting on the palace and his younger sister, Naomi.
With proper consultation and agreement with his Queen, Ooni Ojaja II handed over a sum of 1 billion nairas to Gbenro for the commencement of phase 1 of the housing project!
That is where the beauty stopped and the commencement of the disintegration of the 2nd marriage of Ooni Ojaja II.
Gbenro moved to the site with enthusiasm and promise to deliver.
He started on a good note that the Ooni did not blink an eye when he requested for additional 50 million nairas, another 100 million and another 50 million nairas, making 1.2 billion nairas in all
And so soon, the structure put on and supervised by Gbenro started collapsing, giving way to the ground after a little rain!
Alarmed that the project abinitio has developed a fundamental problem which if not nip quickly and promptly in the bud may kill the dream forever.
Investigation revealed that Ooni Ojaja II called a meeting with his wife, Gbenro and others telling them to see the necessity of disentangling Gbenro from the project and assigning another competent fellow to do the task
And before that was done a quality and quantity assessment was carried out on the job done at the site as supervised by Gbenro.
The assessment revealed a job done at 567 million nairas while 1.2 million has been collected by Gbenro!
Ooni Ojaja II realised the institution of the cult of In-law and his prime intention of emancipating his wife’s family overlooked the issue and the money and re-assigned the project to another competent person – one Victor at another cost without asking Gbenro to refund any money.
Investigation revealed that even though the Ooni carried her Queen along in all these decisions to disengage Gbenro for the benefit of the project and the Royal family, Queen Naomi and her family were bitter and angry and swore to square up with Ooni Ojaja II.
The first sign of rebellion came from Gbenro who after his disengagement from the site which was being handled by Victor, twice, led a band of marijuana smoking guys to destroy the work in progress and constitute a nuisance.
Investigation revealed that in each time of nuisance Ooni always called the attention of his Queen who instead of cautioning her brother always put the blame on ‘ Kabiyesi too should have not disengaged him too’
Tired and frustrated by the report on the malfeasance of Gbenro, Ooni was said to have called him to the palace for cautioning.
In the meeting, Gbenro was said to have displayed what an eye witness described as ” an animalistic behaviour, totally unexpected by a sane human being at that Royal forum’
It was gathered that Naomi was there watching his brother behaving in an uncultured manner without a word of reprieve from her.
Despite Gbenro’s crude intransigent and bellicose attitude towards the Monarch, the investigation revealed that Naomi never for once chastised or admonished him
Investigation revealed that while Gbenro was exhibiting his madness and the Monarch was impressing on her the essence of making the Akure project an excellent one, all Naomi was up to is how her brother would get the project back whether he is competent or not minding the consequence for Ooni’s image and their own immediate family.
‘ She made many attempted to change the mind of the tender heart Ooni to recall his brother Gbenro back to the site, a request flatly rejected by the monarch who appealed to his now-estranged wife to look at the issue from his point of view as his wife and mother of his prince.’
It was also gathered that Olori Naomi told the Oba that his brother must return to the site or she will not have anything to do with the Ooni and she will not visit Ile Ife until this is done
It was also learnt that while the volte-face between the Ooni and his now-estranged wife was getting to its a crescendo, the father of the monarch as a responsible elder, called the attention of Naomi’s mother, who insulted the old man, and in the process, the said Gbenro hijacked the telephone from the old man and lambasted him severally, which made him cry.
The monarch got wind of the irresponsible act, called his wife to report the unruly act of her brother, but she was vehement that it’s either her brother returns to the site or nothing again, while that was ongoing, Gbenro again, snatched the phone from her sister, lampooned the highly respected Yoruba Oba.
It was gathered that Naomi has not been to Ile – Ife in the last 6 weeks claiming that she could only come home from. Akure to Ife with all her family members, including the mum and Gbenro who has been on a rude spree to the Ooni with impunity
This we gathered that Ooni refused her prayers telling her that she cannot bring into the Royal stead those who fouled and despised royalty.