The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has for the first time after his coronation opened up on his childhood years, and success story. In an exclusive with THE SUN, Oba Ogunwusi spoke extensively on life as a prince and his ascension to the throne of his forefathers. Reflecting on his family in the interview, the Ooni said, “I won’t say we were from a well- to -do background. No! There was nothing that I didn’t do to support my parents. Both of them were civil servants and they struggled to raise six children. My mum never believed in things of this world. What was primary was to raise her children. She had six and she would tell anybody that cared to listen that: “I have six houses that I am building, I don’t have any other house.
“I don’t need to do any other thing”. So, anytime she leaves work, she does another petty trading-selling drinks, soft drinks. She was born into the family of business, they were all entrepreneurs. They used to go to the North to bring beans, locally made rice, corn flour, maize and all that. That was what her grandmother was doing. I supported my mother to the extent of even hawking after school in Ife or Ibadan. Both of my parents are from Ife, even my grandparents are all from Ife. So we moved from Ife to Ibadan, very short distance. We moved from Ife and we moved to Ibadan.
“So anytime we were out of school, we come to Ife to stay with our grandparents and we would still help them because that was their trade. In Ibadan after school we helped my mum. I schooled up to the tertiary level in Ibadan. I came to Ife briefly as well and I did my national youth service in Benue, I went to the North. Then in Ibadan, I started business at a very tender age. I started trading the same rice and sugar that my mum used to do and God was very faithful to me. I did it on a very large scale at a tender age, to the extent that I became a major distributor for the likes of Dangote, Olam, Stallion Group and so many others.” When asked if his father visits him, the Ooni said,” Traditionally, it is not possible again. It is forbidden in our tradition. Mobile phone (GSM) is there, we communicate a lot. We have so much respect for each other. But, that is how it is…You want my father to prostrate for me?”
