IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE Of NAIJA)- Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has taken a new wife nine months after Queen Naomi Silekunola parted ways with the monarch.
Video of the wedding ceremony was shared online by Moses Olafare, Ooni’s Director of Media and Publicity.
The traditional ruler married Mariam Ajibola Anako who is said to be the daughter of an ex-police officer from Kogi state on Tuesday.
The new Ife bride, Olori Mariam, is also said to be an oil and gas mogul.
She is the administrative manager at one of Nigeria’s largest indigenous engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) company in the oil and gas sector.
Their traditional marriage ceremony took place at the Ife palace.
The bride performed traditional rites of walking on a red substance to usher her into her new home.
She was thereafter led into the inner court of the palace to meet her husband and other guests waiting to receive her.
Oba Ogunwusi in a video shared on the Facebook page of his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, around 10:30 pm on Tuesday, was assisted by chiefs and close aides, in welcoming the new wife into the palace.
Also, Ooni’s elder brother, Sooko Adegboyega Ogunwusi, and the monarch’s other siblings were also mentioned by the compere at the ceremony as being present.
During the ceremony, Anako’s relations from Ebiraland in Kogi State and Ilorin in Kwara State were also present and they took turn to greet Ooni.
It was also gathered that arrangements for the Ooni to take a new wife had started in March when the king sent delegates to Anako’s family to request her hand in marriage.
The new wife was coming into the palace nine months months after Naomi Silekunola, the last wife of the monarch left him.
Specifically, Naomi announced separation with the monarch on Thursday, 23 December, 2021, thus ended a marriage that produced a son, Tadenikawo, and lasted about 3 years.
Queen Naomi said she could no longer endure the marriage with the monarch chronicled as a “struggle”.
“I, at this moment, announce that I shall no longer be referred to as wife to the Ooni of Ife or as Queen of Ile-Ife but as the Queen of the people and mother of my adorable Prince,” Silekunola said in a Facebook and Instagram post.
“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.”
Queen Naomi, an evangelist, likened her relationship with the monarch to the Bible story of King Saul who was chosen to rule Israelites at a time but ceased to be king afterward.
“He (God) chose Saul to be king, and when He was done, He told the prophet, Samuel I have moved on,” Queen Naomi said.
Prior to her marriage to Oba Ogunwusi, Naomi was a prophetess in charge of En-Herald Ministries, an interdenominational Christian ministry based in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.
She became the monarch’s second bride after his first marriage with Queen Wuraola crashed in August 2017.
She disclosed this in an official statement shared on her official Instagram page @hhzynab.
Her post partly reads: “What I can confirm is that the Ooni and I are no more. I inhale love and exhale gratitude.
No matter how much time you’ve invested, no matter the use of media to silence and manipulate, no matter the circumstance, slander, embarrassment, threats and lies: get out and seek immediate help!
“My journey continues as a humanitarian aiding women and victims of domestic violence and abuse with the United Nations.”
Ooni got married to his ex-Edo bride at an elaborate society traditional marriage held in Benin, the Edo State capital on March 16, 2016.