Araba of Osogbo Ifayemi Elebuibon says Olori Silekunola Ogunwusi, the embattled wife of the Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Ogunwusi, can marry another man after certain rituals have been done.
The 74-year-old Ifa priest said this in an interview with Yoruba newspaper Alaroye on Thursday after Olori Silekunola announced her separation from the 47-year-old monarch via a message posted on Instagram.
“There is nothing wrong with the Kabiyesi. Only God knows what happens between husband and wife,” Elebuibon said.
Speaking about marriage, the traditionalist advised parties to have patience and perseverance.
According to him, “In Yorubaland, we do not wish for a wife to leave her husband. It is not just the Olori. But when things get out of control, and husband and wife can no longer live in peace and they decide it is better to avoid each other, there is no taboo in going apart.”
Asked if Olori Silekunola can remarry after giving birth to a child with the Ooni, Elebuibon said that is up to her.
“It is her choice to remarry or remain single. But nobody can just marry an ex-wife of the king.
“The king’s hands must first be removed from her before she can marry someone else. There are baths she must bathe and rituals she must perform, else there is danger.
“The king is not someone whose wife you can just lay on. You can sleep with the king’s wife when she is still in his house, let alone someone taking her to his place.
“Whoever wants to marry her must be patient because the name of the king is all over her. She has to go back to the state she was before she married the king before she can marry someone else,” he said.
Olori Silekunola is not the first wife to announce her separation from the Ooni of Ife after he became king.
His marriage to Zaynab Obanor, who was christened Olori Wuraola, ended after 17 months.
Other women who have crossed his path include Omolara Olatubosun with whom he had a teenage romance that produced a daughter Adeola Ogunwusi in 1994 and Adebukola Bombata whom he was married to from 2008 to 2016.
Another woman linked to him is Olori Afolashade Ogunwusi whom he introduced to guests at his birthday celebration in October 2021.
