The Ooni of Ife’s palace has vehemently denounced a video circulating online, alleging it misrepresents the interaction between the Ooni and the Alaafin of Oyo at the West Africa Economic Summit in Abuja. The video, released by the Alaafin’s media team, “The Oyo Legacies,” purportedly shows the Alaafin refusing to greet the Ooni. However, the Ooni’s palace insists this is a manipulated portrayal of the actual events. They assert that the Ooni, holding prestigious positions within the Nigerian traditional rulers’ council, arrived early at the summit and was already seated in the VIP lounge with other dignitaries when the Alaafin arrived.
Contrary to the video’s depiction, the Ooni’s palace maintains that the Alaafin approached the Ooni directly, bypassing his own designated seat, to offer respectful greetings. The Ooni reciprocated this gesture, rising to welcome the Alaafin. They exchanged pleasantries and light-hearted banter before the Alaafin proceeded to his allocated seat. Furthermore, the Ooni’s palace clarifies the order in which the two monarchs entered the main conference hall, stating that the Ooni exited the VIP lounge first, closely followed by the Alaafin, to take their respective pre-assigned seats. This account directly contradicts the narrative presented in the viral video.
The Ooni’s palace expresses profound disappointment with the “Oyo Legacies,” accusing them of disseminating a misleading and damaging portrayal of the Alaafin’s conduct. They emphasize that the Alaafin’s actions at the summit were exemplary, demonstrating respect and fostering amicable relations. Instead of highlighting this positive conduct, the video, according to the Ooni’s palace, paints a negative and disrespectful picture of the Alaafin, which could lead to public misinterpretations.
The statement further highlights the role of media handlers in shaping public perception of their principals. It argues that their primary duty is to act as a bridge of communication, managing their principal’s image to foster respect and admiration, not to generate negative publicity. In this instance, the Ooni’s palace believes “The Oyo Legacies” fell short of this responsibility, failing to accurately represent the Alaafin’s courteous behavior and positive interaction with the Ooni.
The Ooni’s palace insists that the Alaafin’s actions reflected a commitment to peace and valued relationships, citing the Alaafin’s subsequent request to schedule a visit to the Ooni in Ile-Ife later that week as further evidence. They suggest that the Alaafin’s media team requires further training in work ethics and protocols concerning image management to avoid such misrepresentations in the future.
The statement concludes with a strong call for the Alaafin to “regig” his media team, emphasizing the importance of accurate and positive portrayal of traditional leaders, especially in a context where such relationships play a critical role in maintaining social harmony and cultural understanding. The palace reiterates its commitment to fostering positive relationships among traditional rulers and calls for responsible media representation to support these efforts.
