Not a few were surprised that beautiful queens, Ayaba Folashade and Queen Memunat Omowunmi Adeyemi were absent at the 51st coronation ceremony of the highly revered Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Iku Baba Yeye.
The two queens who became good friends after the brouhaha between Queen Memunat and former queen Badirat Ajoke, posted photos where they wore same aso ebi (uniforms) with other queens in the palace.
But they were absent at the palace. Their beautiful faces didn’t feature in all the photos of the ceremony shared by the palace officials.
Known to be a great admirer of her husband who she calls her ‘demi god’, Queen Memunat congratulated the Alaafin on social media and prayed for more years on the throne.
“It’s time for party
Been present here on your coronation day brings so much happiness to me
Your coronation day isn’t a day I shouldn’t be presented
Celebrating your day with you it’s my primary priority Oko Mi Atanda
May Allah keep you longer and celebrate more prosperous Coronation,” she wrote on Instagram
The same was the case with Ayaba Folashade, who is a mother of triplets. On the day of the party, she wrote on Instagram, “Getting ready for the party
Can’t express how glad i am to be present here to celebrate with you
I beseech Almighty Allah to celebrate more years with you in sound health and wealthy status! Let’s party begins!!!”
Many had reasoned that these two queens could be having issues with the monarch and probably no allowed into the palace.
“That’s a lie, “ a palace official had eclusively revealed to Kemi Ashefon.
According to the source, these women have relocated to the United Kingdom with their children and sought the approval of the ageing monarch before embarking on such.
“They now live in London with all their children and some other wives’ children. Kabiyesi wants the children to school in London.”
The queens who are among those in Alaafin’s good books were gifted houses in Ibadan in 2021 before they relocated abroad.
On how they had the aso ebi and took their photos in Nigeria, a source told Kemi Ashefon exclusively that a photo shoot was done before they travlled abroad.
“Ayaba Folashade and Memunat had taken those pictures before leaving. The aso ebi )uniform) which they wore with other queens were bought in 2021 for the 50th coronation anniversary but the event couldn’t hold due to COVID-19. There were restrictions and it was decided that the clothes be kept and used for the 51st anniversary,” the source revealed.