Ooni of Ife’s Journey to a Palace Full of Queens

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has spoken about his past marriage that ended. The monarch shared that after the collapse of his marriage, he faced ridicule on social media. However, things have since changed as his palace is now filled with queens.

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He revealed that during that period, he often found himself sleeping and waking up alone, questioning God about what wrong he had done, as he believed he had never harmed anyone. According to the Ooni, God reassured him to stay calm, and now his palace is surrounded by queens.

“When my marriage ended and I became single, many mocked me, saying that a king without a queen commands no respect. I was alone, and I asked God: who did I wrong? I had never harmed anyone. He told me to relax. Now, look at me; there are queens all around the palace.”

In December 2022, his second wife, Olori Naomi, announced the end of their three-year marriage via her Instagram account. Speaking recently about the separation, the mother of the crowned prince, Tadenikawo, ruled out the possibility of returning to the palace. She mentioned that with the monarch now having six wives, returning would be impossible. While there were good times in her marriage, there were also difficult moments. She admitted that she was too naïve and gentle when she first married the king but has since grown to understand that life is not so simple.

After the end of his marriage to Olori Naomi, the Ooni went on to marry six wives Olori Mariam, Olori Elizabeth Akinmuda, Olori Tobi Phillips, Olori Ashley, Olori Ronke, and Olori Temitope within the span of three months.

During his 48th birthday and seventh coronation anniversary, the Ooni explained why he married Mariam Anako and the others, stating that despite his efforts to make changes, the traditional customs of Ile Ife required him to follow a certain path.

The Ooni has since welcomed three children with two of his new wives: twins with Olori Tobi earlier this year, and a son with Olori Ashley.

Oluchi Okwuego