•Details Of The Naming
Last week, the Arole Oduduwa and head of all Yoruba Obas, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi named his little prince and heir to the throne, Aderemi Tadenikawo, the Arole Oduduwa & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II named the little prince on Wednesday 25th of November. He has fulfilled his promise to name his newly born prince after his predecessor, Sir Tadenikawo Adesoji Aderemi.
Ooni of Ife on his Instagram page wrote “ in accordance with the traditional rites lasting for 21 days with today marking the 8th day, and in keeping to my promise of naming our first prince after my predecessor the 49th Ooni of Ife in the 3rd dynasty of Ife, our prince is hereby named “Tadenikawo, Adesoji, Aderemi, Eri-Ifeoluwasimi, Adeiwa, Inioluwa, Ademide, Adegbite, Diekoloreoluwa Ogunwusi Ojaja II.”
Pray to God to guide and keep him in fulfillment of his destiny” he said.
The 8th day climaxed the first eight-day of the 3-week cultural rites traditionally observed at the Ile Oodua palace of the Ooni of Ife for naming newborn princes and princess started with the traditional movement of the Ooni from his private residence in the palace to the sacred Yeyemoolu well to offer prayers and traditional rites before moving through various palace chambers; from Ile Ogun to Ile Odikeji and Ile Omirin, finally to Ile-Igbo to mount the oldest stool of Oduduwa at Ile Igbo where a reigning Ooni occasionally seats whenever there is a very important event.
At Ile Igbo, spiritual obeisance by the Isoros and other traditional rites were offered to formally welcome the royal baby to the Ife royal court and announce his names to the general public. Just as every culture has it beliefs and tradition, so also is the Yoruba root, Ile Ife and its stool under Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; according to tradition, is not allowed to see his new baby until after 3 months. Yes, the Ooni of Ife can’t see Tadenikawo until February 2021. Information gathered revealed that Obas in Yoruba land are forbidden from seeing newborn babies due to certain myths about their hair, however, they are permitted to see the mothers of their babies or other new mothers.
Custodians of various deities known as ‘Oba Isoro’, Obas and Ife high-chiefs offered prayers in the traditional way with items like sugarcane, aadun, honey, dried fishes, money, pen, bitter Kolas, cola nuts, alligator peppers, snails schnapps, water, palm oil, doves and other Yoruba core prayer items.
After the prayers and sacrifices, the Ooni consulted Ifa oracle through the Araba Agbaye, head of Ifa Priests worldwide, before making the baby’s names public.
Names of the prince handed by Araba Agbaye to High-Chief Lowa of Ife, Chief Adekola Adeyeye who officially pronounced them to the anxious crowd are Tadenikawo, Adesoji, Aderemi, Eri-Ifeoluwasimi, Adeiwa, Inioluwa, Ademide, Adegbite, Diekoloreoluwa, son of Ogunwusi.
The birth of the prince on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 was greeted by three phases of 21day traditional rites according to the dictates of Yoruba customs before it was rounded off within the premises of Ile Oodua palace of the Ooni
Was the baby present at all the events? No, but all of Ooni’s siblings are allowed to see the baby and only Ooni is not allowed. All the Ogunwusi sisters look so pretty in white and Berge Aso-Oke. They were filled with smiles as they dance with joy seeing that their brother and father now have a heir to the throne. Princess Folashade Fadairo, Princess Adeshola and Princess Bimpe Ogunwusi were all in attendance and also danced with their husbands and friends.
So also is the Ooni of Ife’s closest ally, Princess Toyin Kolade, was also fully on ground to welcome the heir apparent.
Has Kabiyesi seen Olori Naomi? Of course yes. The Ooni of Ife was said to have sung many thanksgiving songs when his pretty wife was brought to him. He was so filled with joy to see the latest mum in town. He extended his greetings to his new baby as he won’t see him until February 2021.
– Abiola Orisile
