The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said he owed nobody any apology for kneeling to worship the almighty God during the thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Paul’s Anglican Church, Ife, after his coronation. The Ooni, said this in statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Thursday by the Director of Communication and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Ile Ife, Mr. Moses Olafare.
The monarch spoke in reaction to criticisims against him by an online medium Newspunch (Not The Punch) that he knelt down to worship God during the church service. Ogunwusi said it was wrong to equate any king no matter his status with the almighty God who created the heavens and the earth, saying the comment was an attempt to embarrass the throne.
Ogunwusi said since the almighty God is not Ooni or any king’s mate he would not stop to worship and revere him because it was God who enthroned him.
The statement read:
”It is an unacceptable sacrilege to equate Ooni’risa or other king to the almighty God. God Is the creator of mankind and it is God that made it possible for the enthronment of any king.
“The attention of Ile Oodua has been drawn to a publication released Wednesday 16th 2015 by an online medium known as NEWSPUNCH in which His Imperial Majesty, Ooni’risa & Arole Oodua Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi(OjajaII) was crtisised for bowing to God.
“God remains the highest, the king of kings who has kept all kings alive and has made it possible for me to be crowned as the king of the source of Yoruba civilisation.
“I have no regrets whatsoever for kneeling down to exalt the almighty God who did not only create me, but also kept me alive, saw me through all the storms in my, life-journey and eventually crowned me as the custodian of Oodua race.
“This act of equating me to God of gods of king of kings and the sole owner of the universe is a wicked sacrilege planned to embarrass the throne. My emergence as Oba has been made possible only by the almighty Olodumare to whom I remain eternally grateful.”