His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojájá II) is the 51st and current Ooni of Ife. The traditional ruler and Monarch of the Yoruba Kingdom of Ile-Ife will be turning 50 in October. To celebrate the milestone, he will be unveiling 50 projects that will impact the lives of Nigerians. In this interview with IFEOMA ONONYE, the Custodian of the Yoruba race’s heritage talks about his lifestyle, his reasons for always clamouring for Nigerians to be patriotic and why he does not like wearing a wristwatch
You will turn 50 soon and you have something planned for it. Can you share with us what the plans are?
We all come to this world for a certain reason. And for me, to the glory of God , there is nothing else I will ever aspire to become again in life. I have gotten to my peak and the utmost thing to do is to carve a legacy for myself and be very impactful to the entire mankind. For me, clocking the age 50 is beyond celebration. It is beyond the normal routine of what is expected from everybody. For this, I want to showcase 50 iconic projects as I turn 50. Those 50 iconic projects are very impactful projects that cuts accros every sector and are also very impactful to human endeavours. A lot of people don’t really know what I do. Even before I became the Ooni of Ife and ever since I became the Ooni of Ife for the last past 9 years, God has used me to set up very strong and formidable impactful projects all over the world. I want to showcase that to the world, for the world to see that truly, you can be on the throne and still be impactful. The things that I have done are so impactful that it has cut across so many strater of race, ethnic and even religious beliefs. Maybe, when I do that showcasing, people will have a better understanding of who I am. A lot of people see me in different lights. It’s like half cup full and half cup empty but I have been very focused. One of the impactful projects that God has actually used me to do is the revolution in the fashion industry. I see myself as a team player, especially when it comes to promoting our home made goods in the area of textile. For next, My Queen, Olori Aderonke, who has been very industrious and very resourceful at anything she does, she has been able to anchor that program very well. That is the emergence and manufacturing of Adire textile. We have a hub and with that hub, we have been able to do a whole lot. The hub has been able to showcase a lot of good things that can come out of our dear country in Nigeria. Truly, we need to believe in our country. We are not very serious in Nigeria. The only we have as a nation is patriotism. If we are very patriotic, we will realise that we will go very far. It is better we know that patriotism is what will take this nation out of our doldrums. To me, the textile hub is a project I believe in so much. The Adire Odua followed the passion of Olori Aderonke, which is African fashion week London. I can tell the world that that is actually what brought us together about 11, 12 years ago. We pretty much started it together. Not my idea, but her idea. But in terms of support, I can say it boastfully and with all humility, that I have been the only consistent supporter. So, from Day one, I know that every year, I must do something. That has made us stronger together. Before as friends. As associates and now as husband and wife. I am very proud of what she does because I like sorrounding myself with very resourceful people. She is one of the best and greatest minds that is so resourceful that I have ever come across. I am looking for a day to celebrate her but that will be topic for another day. African Fashion Week has been a brand has been put together by a lady,who is a princess and now a Queen. She has been passionate about what she is doing. The Holy Book says , one person against 1000 and two against 2000. So, what I did was partner with her to become a formidable force to be impactful. So, out of the 50 projects that I want to showcase, and that is the Adire Odua Textile. We have been able to spread it across the entire continent a n d even beyond the continent, to so many western countries. The Adire Ooni is 100% made in Nigeria. The only two components that are not here is may be, the importation of dye but we have our own material too, which is indigo. We are doing further research on how to bring out an industry that will be making dye because we still import those items. Aside that, every other thing about Adire Odua is 90 to 95 per cent locally made. I keep asking our people why we keep talking about Dollar. Dollar is not our legal tender here but it going up everytime. We are not a serious country. Let us look at ourselves; the essence of ourselves and what we do everyday. Some people here in Nigeria, the water they use in bathing is Dollar based. I am serious. Some very wealthy Nigerians bring water from outside of the country. They say the water must have some level of alkaline and all. As small as toothpick, some people import it. It s really a big issue as a nation. Everyday that I wake up, whatever I do, especially what I put on. I ask myself if this is jus – tifying proudly Nigerian. If everybody can be doing that, including you, the media people; if we all do that, the demand for Dollar will go down. The day every Nigeria will say enough is enough to imported goods and focus on what we can produce in Nigeria, that is when we will become a better nation. That is what is bringing the topic of African Fashion Week in London, in Nigeria, Brazil. We are also taking African fashion week to the Caribbean and all over. Telling people that it is a brand that came out of Nigeria that is an international brand now. We have seen big brands that come from other countries. Which brands have we grown from this our nation, Nigeria? How are we impacting the country by developing employment for the youth? In the past 20 years, we have grown over 60 million in population. As for me, I will showcase 50 projects, 50 impactful things that God has actually used me to pioneer. We will pioneer them and show how it has helped people in the areas of health sector, in the area of entertainment, in the area of manufacturing, in the area of education. A lot of people dont know that I have a university called ‘Ojaja University’. I am putting together one of the best healthcare system in the world here in Nigeria. A hospital, where they will handle real emergencies without the wrapped round underwriters. The hospital has the best of everything. We will align with some foundations that can help when patients cannot meet up with demands of their treatment. It’s a place patients will be treated first and foremost above every other thing. It’s located in Lekki phase one. It’s one of the projects that I am going to showcase for my 50th. I didn’t even know how I achieved 50 projects. That’s the highlight of my 50th birthday. For me, it’s beyond being a king. For me, it’s service to humanity and God almighty will uphold it all.
So we can call you the philanthropist King? If you wish to, yes.
When is the actual date for your birthday?
My birthday is 17th of October.
As the Founder of Adire Odua Textile Hub, tell us about your personal style…
It is the call of the throne that is making me dress like I do now. Dressing in all white indicates, purity and spirituality, clarity and a very strong connection to my spirit head. On my own, I have added some panache and refinement to it. For me, when you look at me from head to toe everyday, everything I wear is 80 to 90 per cent made in Nigeria. I am a cobbler. When I was a kid, I went to learn shoe-making. I still make my shoes till date. I design my shoes till date.
You do the drawing or sketch of your shoes?
I do the drawing. I choose the materials for the shoe. My regalia is Asoke from Ilorin. I know my suppliers and I don’t pay them in Dollars. I pay them in Naira. The embroidery in the Asoke is made by the same manufacturer. The Satin part of my regalia is made in Aba. My beads are from Ife. We are known for Coral Beads in Ife. So, they are made in my community. I go as far as Ekiti, Benin, Ibadan to get my beads done. I don’t wear wristwatches because time belongs to God. I don’t relate to time like that. There is value in time. For me, every second counts. So, why should I be looking at it every second. The beads on my hands are made in Nigeria. I have been very consistent with it. I just try to add a little bit of style and modesty. The shorter necklace is bronze technology. It is very spiritual. The gold I wear is from my community and Ilesha. I am happy that the Nigerian government have started doing partitional minning. They buy gold from them to use for transaction. So, we are heading somewhere. Before, they used to send it outside. I have been shouting about this for a long time that we can make these things transactional. Instead of us to be looking for Dollars, we have Gold here. Let the Nigerian government continue to buy it in Naira and value or store it in Dollars. If Federal Government had paid attention to this, we would have been the greatest bullion collector of Gold in the world. Nigerian Gold is the best in the world but a lot of people don’t know. My crown, there are cowries there. Olori Aderonke has tried to style me in Adire but I told her I need it in white. So, she is still researching. I wear the Adire if there is need to add it to my attire. I implore all of us to be conscious of our nation. The new National Anthem is much stronger. Be patriotic. Buy made in Nigeria goods.
Do you miss your former fashion and style, like your jeans and T-shirts?
Of course, I miss it because its a means for me to keep simple. I uphold the spirituality of the Yoruba people and so, I don’t have the privilege that some other Kings have. I miss it so much but it is what is. I have to wear white all the time and I cannot even switch off. Everything must be light.
Like they usually say, do you feel 50?
No, I don’t. I am very restless. To me, it’s all about numbers. Normally on this throne, I am not supposed to celebrate my birthday but because of the youth advocacy things, I do, I should cancel my age and celebrate only the days that I am on the throne. This is because I am a father to all, wheather you are old or young. For me, I want to use it to pass a legacy message to the younger people to show them that you can achieve things at a particular time. Always ask yourself, how impactful are you in whatever you do.
People try to compare you to the former Ooni of Ife, saying that the former Ooni cannot shake some people or be in certain places or parties. What do you think about it?
At some point, I used to bother about what people say but I don’t bother any longer. I focus so much on what I want to achieve. Maybe, when I present the 50 projects I have at 50, a lot of people will know that I don’t have energy to bother about such things. I keep my eyes on the ball , very focused, so that I can get things done. Comparing me with my predecessors, there was no social media then. My predecessor was my father of blessed memory. D u r i n g his time, there was no social media but he was a very powerful socialite. Even, he socialised more than me but there was no social media. There is a mystism around Ooni, very strong but these days, if you don’t blend tradition and modernity, you are going to lose out. The mystery is there. If you want to scare people away, then how do you want development for the youth? How do we grow a lot of people? We need to grow a lot of people in this country. The mystism is there; don’t dilute it but I try to manage the two together and that is what I stand for. I said it that I want to blend tradition and modernity when I came to the throne. I woke up and they said I went to Davido’s party and they are shaking my hand. I laughed because its just news. We all know news is news depending on how you want to spin it. I want to spin any bad news they say about me to good things. People like to talk about me a lot but they know little about me. That has helped me shield some of the achievements that I will be unveiling soon.
Ife has a very good museum. Will there be opportunity for people from outside Ife to be able to visit Ife on tourism?
We have a lot of heritage monumental assets. The problem is the bad roads. We have been appealing to government to help construct the roads. Thank God, they have done Lagos-Ibadan express road. From Ibadan to Ife road is another advocacy campaign that we are making. So, if I sit in the Palace, waiting for people to come, on that bad road. Before you get to me, you would have lost like two to three tires. Will the p e r s o n want to come t o – morrow? Yes, it is important to sit in the Palace but if you want to achieve something, then you must move. Once the road is done, Ife has a robust heritage to explore.
As the king, what extent of authority does your staff hold?
The staff holds a great power. We, the Yoruba people are very lucky because our heritage is the single largest ethnic race in the world. Even China, which has the largest population in the world are very different. But the Yoruba are linked. You may be practicing Islam or Christianity, our names are links to our heritage and all our ancestors. No other race in the world has it. So, all the way to Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, Bahamas, and most African countries, we have that link as a race. The staff is the extent of authority, beyond even the government. It’s the heritage, the tradition and culture. It’s something to be held on to that is critical.
What the Pope is to Rome and the Catholics is what Mohammed is to Islam and Mecca. You represent the same for the Yoruba race. What can be done for people to begin to see it the way it is, so as to drive the attention to Ife as the source?
What has made the Vatican what is it is the tourism? We will get there. It is one of the things I am working on as the king on the throne. I am working on getting the connecting infrastructure right. Then, we start to build capacity. Some of our very powerful festivals in Ife attracts millions of people. We have 12 major festivals that are like blockbusters. Everyday in Ife, we have things to do, except one day. So, in 365 days in a year, we have more than 300 activities to do in Ife. We still have about 12 to 14 festivals that are very massive and powerful. A lot of people do not know that about 500 to 600 years in the world, there was nothing like calendar or January to December. For us, the New Year starts after the festival of Ifa. We use nature to count the year. Every 27 to 28 days, there will be full moon. Once there is a full moon, it is a complete one month. It is 13 times that we have full moon in one year. So, every 13th full moon is a new year and it starts around May ending and June. That is the new year for the Nigerian belief of the Yoruba people. It is tied to nature. That is the time you start to prepare for your harvest. Then, you now pray to God to have a bountiful harvest between September and October, after the second maximum rainfall. That is where the advent of thanksgiving came. The Gregorian calendar is man made just like the New Year we all celebrate in January
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