Zaynab Otiti-Obanor, formerly known as Olori Wuraola, has taken a veiled dig at traditionalists who spoke ill of her over her failed marriage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
A prominent Ifa devotee, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, had warned that any man who had a sexual relationship with the Edo-born woman may die unless certain rights were carried out.
Allegations of infidelity and bareness were also made against the former Olori before and after her 17-month royal marriage collapsed.
Speaking over the weekend while receiving the Humanitarian of the Year from Kechie’s Project in New York, Zaynab described tradition without intelligence as worthless.
“As important as tradition is in the fabric of our lives, tradition without intelligence is not worth having,” she said.
Accepting her award “on behalf of Nigerian women, African women and women across the world regardless of race and religion,” she made a case “for women who are misrepresented by lies and manipulated by culture and tradition.”
Like her ex-husband who went against tradition to proclaim Jesus Christ as his father at a church programme, Zaynab added: “The only power in this world is that of God almighty and HE reigns supreme.”
Announcing her divorce from the king in August, Zaynab spoke against the culture of “women being dragged in the press and blamed for everything under the sun.”
Before then, she had led celebrities in a walk against sexual and domestic abuse.
That and other activities led Kechie’s Project to honour her along with former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and CNN anchor Don Lemon.
