Blossoming in their husband’s palace are Ooni of Ife’s 6 beautiful Oloris. Ever since they got married to Ooni, they have been stepping out lately to attend major events. Many people respect them a lot and are always eager to have a glimpse of them whenever they are out.
In Ooni of Ife’s palace, all his Oloris are equal but the seniority comes from the position each occupies. Traditionally , the first wife is the mother of all queens in the palace an that is why they always refer to any first Olori as Yeyeluwa. This is the position that Olori Mariam Ogunwusi occupies in Ooni’s palace.
She is highly revered, highly respected by all and sundry and no wonder, the other Oloris accord her the very respect she desires. We gathered that by virtue of her position, she makes the most decisions in the palace especially amongst the other Oloris and the responsibility of being the first Olori is well carried out by Olori Mariam such that other Queens don’t joke with her. She is very accommodating, loving and deals with other queens with love and respect that they deserve. This can not be said without also acknowledging the fact that Ooni primes Olori Mariam high amongst his other wives but also respects them thereby not relegating any of them to the background.. Ooni always shows it openly that he really loves Olori Mariam, no wonder Olori Mariam had her wedding in a special way. She had the most elaborate wedding with a classy reception that followed. Infact after she got married to Ooni, she became the first Queen who stepped out with Ooni to many major A.list events. She was also the first to represent Ooni at major functions. She remains an important figure at the Ooni’s palace since she became a Queen 8 months ago.
Olori Mariam Ajibola Ogunwusi is the first official wife who has actually become the face of the palace. Her wedding was done in September and her wedding reception took place on Sunday, October 16th, 2022. Some have tagged her as the senior wife and maybe the numero uno. But from what we have learnt, there’s actually no seniority except in the way they were married. The wives are all expected to comport themselves as wives worthy of the stool of the calibre of that of the Arole Odua, the Oonirisa. On her wedding day, Ooni spoke highly of her and revealed that she has brought peace and a new dawn to him and the palace in entirety. In his words,
“I want to specially thank my wife, Olori Mariam, she brought a new beginning to my life. There has been a new dawn as she stepped into the palace and it will keep being an era of new dawn forever. Thank you for not leaving me alone and for standing by me”.
The existence of all other Oloris in the palace has been a cordial one. Quoting one of the Oloris who is into fashion, she revealed that Olori Mariam has been very supportive of all of them, that she takes all of them as part of her, Infact she also revealed that Olori Mariam has always been supportive of each of their businesses, that they follow most of her decisions.” When Olori Mariam got married to Oni, it was the biggest news that month, everyone wanted to know who the new wife of Ooni is. Her entry into the palace was also very grand. Olori Mariam Ogunwusi née Anako was ushered into the palace by her family after brief rites at the entrance to the premises. She was thereafter led into the inner court of the palace to meet her husband and other guests waiting to receive her. It was a wedding that shook the whole Ife town.
Oba Ogunwusi 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 at the ceremony. During the ceremony, the new wife’s relations from Ebira land in Kogi State and Ilorin in Kwara State were also present and they took turns to greet Ooni.
Olori Mariam is a stylish queen who knows what fashion is and this showed in her outfits for the wedding. She wore a lovely sequined gold lace paired with a good headgear and a beautiful gold and Coral Jewelry. The love story between Ooni of Ife and his new wife, Olori Mariam Anako has been on for a very long time. Infact we gathered that they dated for 3 and half years before getting married.
Olori Mariam was a constant figure at the palace but the relationship was kept away from the public. They were intentionally waiting for Ooni of Ife to celebrate another birthday in October,2022 before they consummate the wedding in a grand way. Some of Ooni’s close families knew about Olori Mariam Anako’s relationship with the Ooni before they were publicly introduced but they kept it away from the public.
On the Olori’s side, her close friends and immediate family are also aware of the romance and immediately the gist of their union went round, some started posting it on their social media pages. Infact we gathered ,there was a mini introduction 6 months earlier to when they got married.
Who is the new Olori that has again captured the heart of the first class monarch? This is what many people wanted to know immediately the gist went round. Olori Mariam Anako is one of the biggest babes in Lagos. She has a very powerful and prominent pedigree. Not only is she from a famous background, her siblings are also very well to do. She is also doing very well in the corporate sector, Oil and Gas to be precise.
The Ooni’s beloved new wife, Olori Mariam is from Kogi State, who lived her life mostly in Ilorin, Kwara State. She is a top management staff of a reputable oil and gas company owned by the billionaire owner of Obiajackson Group- Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi whose oil company is Nestoil.
Olori Mariam lost her dad at a young age and was brought up in the home of the former IGP Mohammed Dikko Abubakar who reigned as the boss of the Nigerian Police between (2012 to 2014). MD Abubakar has he is known, is the in-law of Africa’s wealthiest man- Alhaji Aliko Dangote, whose daughter is married to Jamil Abubakar, the pilot first son of MD Abubakar. This 2 men also share a close friendship with the Ooni. Olori Mariam Ogunwusi’s mother was a former Police Commissioner in Kwara State. Olori Mariam who was a top management executive- (Administrative Manager) of Nestoil worked directly with the billionaire, Dr. Ernest Nnaemeka Azudialu Obiejesi.
Olori Mariam’s responsibility in the brand she works for is quite enormous to say the least as she has the ears of her chairman and CEO, who she worked with directly then. Of all the Oloris that have come on board publicly and acknowledged and stamped by the palace as wives of Oba Adeyeye, this particular one parks a punch and is cut very differently, as she’s a career personality.
This is actually one of the reasons why her relationship with the monarch was deliberately kept underwraps by her and also the palace too. Because of her career which she holds very important, she preferred to be incognito until maybe now, but has been around all through during Ooni’s travail. She has been working quietly in the background helping to repackage the outlook of the monarch and how he is perceived. Olori Mariam is 40 years and this is the first time she is giving marriage a shot.
Mariam’s background will surely interest anyone because she comes from a very solid pedigree. Even those that are associated with her family in one way or the other are also well to do in the society. Her family friendship tie can be linked to the Sarakis of Ilorin and that of her CEO & his wife, Dr & Mrs. Ernest and Nnenna Azudialu-Obiejesi.
Mariam is the 5th with 4 elder ones ahead of her and One younger sibling. Her immediate elder sister- Medinat Anako, is the Special Adviser on Intergovernmental Affairs and Kogi State Diaspora Focal Point Officer (DFPO) to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State. She had gotten married in 2014 as the 4th wife of a top socialite and businessman, Alhaji Olanrewaju Akanni Mohammed aka Lamex. She is a lawyer and businesswoman and was at a time very close to the current Nigerian Ambassador to Spain- Demola Seriki. Their elder sister Mrs. Raliat Abdulrahman, is the SA to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. The Anakos are prominent Igbira people from Kogi who settled in Ilorin, Kwara State. Their family home is in Adewole Estate, which is the enclave of the very well to do in Ilorin.
-TAYO OYEDIJI
(08111811219)
