Society Gists

Only a rapscallion or brute from the bay crooks could fault a King for exhibiting his divine right to love. Thus with no attempt at mischief, it couldn’t be wrong or distasteful for the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to fall head over heels in love again. And if the subject of his affection is none other than a drop-dead beauty, Tope Adesegun, so be it.

If it is indeed true that Oba Ogunwusi is smitten over Tope, then the kingdom of Ile Ife and high society are undeniably in for a long, interesting haul of romance and intrigues characteristic of love in royal and celebrity circles. You couldn’t fault Oba Ogunwusi for falling in love, and you couldn’t hate him for seeking her hand in marriage, even if you tried.

The pressure to get the Ooni to marry another wife is therefore predicated on the need to avoid any case of accidental discharge that might rubbish the traditional institution he represents. Soon after his second marriage to ex-wife, Wuraola Otiti Obanor, crashed to irreconcilable differences, Ooni seems to have rediscovered love in Tope Adesegun.

Though separated from his two estranged wives, Olori Adebukola and Wuraola, the Ooni is reckoned to be at an impressionable age, his level of power, influence and street cred nevertheless, to actually take his eyes off fine females. As of now, surreptitious moves are being made to get the respectable king to fill his multi-million naira palace with as many women as can satisfy His Royal Majesty’s libido.

In Africa, especially in this part, kings enjoy massive royal influence so much that if they chose to teem their palaces with as many women as they so wish, they are not expected to be questioned by any human, rather, they should be given all the support to make their wishes come to fruition; this overriding influence is so pronounced in the South West that the Yorubas call kings ‘Kabiyesi,’ which literally translates to ‘he whose actions cannot be questioned.