The Palace of Ataoja of Osogbo has condemned Olori Ashley Afolasade Ojaja Ogunwusi and House of Oduduwa for visiting Osun-Osogbo Groove and engaging devotees without paying homage to the custodial authority, under the throne of Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II.
The palace in a statement by Oyindamola Olukanni, Media Head, Our Heritage Branding & Advertising Ltd, Marketing Consultant- Osun Osogbo Festival, on behalf of the Monarch, noted that as it is inconceivable that any consort or representative of His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife, would be received in another kingdom, engage its spiritual or cultural custodians, and depart without ensuring proper royal protocol is fulfilled.
The Palace maintained that since the Olori of the Ataoja cannot enter the palace of the Ooni, in relation to any festival or sacred institution under the direct custodianship of the Ooni, engage solely with devotees or spiritual adherents without duly paying homage to His Imperial Majesty, and thereafter proceed to make public declarations or cultural assertions connected to such heritage, it is also not expected of the Olori of Ooni to do the same.
The statement reads, “In light of the recent statement issued by Olori Ashley Afolasade Ojaja Ogunwusi and House Of Oduduwa, it has become necessary to provide clear, measured clarification grounded in the enduring principles of Yoruba tradition, protocol, and historical truth, particularly as it concerns the sacred heritage of Osun and its custodial authority under the throne of Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II.
“While spiritual obligations and personal titles are respected within the cultural framework, it must be firmly stated that no form of spiritual engagement supersedes or replaces the time-honored protocols that govern interactions between royal institutions, as it is neither customary nor acceptable within Yoruba tradition for any royal representative—regardless of status or affiliation—to enter a kingdom, engage with its sacred institutions, and proceed to make cultural assertions or symbolic associations without duly completing the fundamental requirement of paying homage to the sitting monarch.
“The absence of such acknowledgment, regardless of circumstance, constitutes a significant deviation from established traditional order. By clear cultural equivalence, it is inconceivable that any consort or representative of His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife, would be received in another kingdom, engage its spiritual or cultural custodians, and depart without ensuring proper royal protocol is fulfilled, yet proceed thereafter to release materials and initiate narratives that intersect, directly or indirectly, with the heritage of that land.
“In the same regard, it must be clearly stated that the Olori of the Ataoja cannot enter the palace of the Ooni, in relation to any festival or sacred institution under the direct custodianship of the Ooni, engage solely with devotees or spiritual adherents without duly paying homage to His Imperial Majesty, and thereafter proceed to make public declarations or cultural assertions connected to such heritage.
“It must therefore be understood that while acts described as courtesy to devotees may be well-intended, they do not in any way substitute for institutional respect to the throne which remains the highest authority over all cultural and spiritual expressions within its domain.
“Any action that creates even the slightest impression of parallelism, extension, or reinterpretation of Osun heritage outside its custodial base in Osogbo inevitably raises legitimate concerns, particularly when such actions are immediately followed by the introduction or promotion of similarly themed initiatives.
“It is important to place on record that this is not an isolated occurrence, as there have been prior attempts over the years to relocate, replicate, or reframe elements of the Osun-Osogbo Festival beyond its original territorial and spiritual context, all of which have consistently been resisted in order to preserve the integrity, authenticity, and sanctity of a heritage that is not transferable, not adaptable, and not subject to reinterpretation outside its lineage.
“Furthermore, while Ile-Ife rightfully holds its place in Yoruba cosmology as a spiritual origin, it is both historically and culturally inaccurate to generalize this position into a claim of custodial authority over all derivative traditions, as heritage within Yoruba civilization is deeply territorial, lineage-specific, and institutionally defined.
“In the specific case of Osun, it must be clearly and unequivocally restated that the historical roots of the Osun tradition as preserved in Osogbo are traced to Igede Ekiti, from where its sacred evolution found its established and globally recognized custodial home in Osogbo, culminating in what is today known and protected as the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and Festival.
“Consequently, the throne of the Ataoja remains the sole and undisputed traditional authority over this heritage, and any engagement—spiritual, symbolic, cultural, or institutional—that seeks to align with, reference, or draw proximity to this legacy must do so within the clearly defined boundaries of respect, acknowledgment, and protocol, as anything short of this introduces ambiguity into a system that is built on clarity and order.
“The preservation of Yoruba heritage is not sustained by sentiment, assertion, or modern reinterpretation, but by strict adherence to the structures that have guided it across generations.
“It is in this spirit that the Palace, through its official representatives, reiterates its unwavering commitment to protecting the authenticity, dignity, and global integrity of Osun-Osogbo, ensuring that its legacy remains neither diluted, misrepresented, nor appropriated in any form, now or in the future.”
Osun Spring
