That the royal marriage which was solemnized on March 12, 2016 crashed irretrievably would not come as a surprise to priests and priestesses in the ancient town of Ile Ife.
When former Olori Wuraola Ogunwusi dropped the name Wuraola, declared she was done with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and reverted to being addressed as Queen Zaynab-Otiti Obanor, it sent shocks down the spine of many.
But not the gods of the land.
Though Oba Adeyeye declared in 2016 when he took Wuraola for a wife that she was the choice of the gods, findings have shown that the gods are not to blame.There are said to be 201 gods in the ancient town, which is reputed to be the cradle of Yorubaland
The first marriage of the Ooni to Adebukola nee Bombata was troubled before he was installed king but they had to patch things up for the coronation.
It later crumbled, she left the palace and headed for London.
Then, the need for a new queen arose and the king was said to have presented three names of his then girlfriends—Adediwura Adeyemi, Sonia Obahon and another lady.
The king was said to have given Sonia the name Wuraola.
“But he (Ooni) was warned by many not to marry Sonia. She was said to have been married to a Lebanese businessman who was resident in Dubai and had kids. He was adamant and must have allegedly bribed his way with some priests to have the name Wuraola chosen. Even if you bribe human beings, can you bribe the gods? It’s a sacrilege for any woman to walk out of the palace. It’s a slap on tradition. A slap on the throne,” said a source close to the palace.
So, the oracle chose the name Wuraola and dropped others.
In her official statement, she made it known to all and sundry that she is no longer Olori Wuraola (the name came from her former husband, Ooni of Ife) when she signed with her new name, Queen Zaynab-Otiti Obanor.
What can the gods do in this matter now?