馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Ooni of Ife faces criticism over alleged gifts and chieftaincy title to Baba Ijesha
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has drawn criticism on social media after actor James Olarenwaju, known as Baba Ijesha, announced that the monarch gifted him a new car, luxury items, and a chieftaincy title. This announcement followed the birth of Baba Ijesha's son. Many Nigerians questioned the decision to honor the actor, who was convicted in 2022 for sexually assaulting a minor. Baba Ijesha expressed gratitude to the traditional ruler on social media for the "royal reception and fatherly support" extended to him and his wife, Abiodun Tokunbo. However, social media users, including #cutie_juls and Oliver John, argued that the gesture rewarded misconduct and undermined the moral values expected of traditional institutions. They stated that traditional titles should be reserved for individuals who exemplify integrity and good character. Eluwande Bode described the gifts as misplaced priorities. Conversely, some social media users defended Baba Ijesha, arguing that he had served his prison sentence and deserved a chance to rebuild his life, with Ola Christopher and Adeniran O. Oladipupo offering support.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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