Watch The Moment Ooni Of Ife’s Wives Welcomed His 7th Wife Into The Palace [Photos/Video]

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has welcomed his seventh wife, Opeoluwa Elizabeth Akinmuda, into the palace.

KanyiDaily recalls that the palace had sent out invitations to relatives and dignitaries for the wedding thanksgiving service and reception of the new Queen, which was scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

The occasion was preceded by the traditional entry of the Queen into the ancient and revered Ife Oodua Palace of Ile-Ife on Thursday.

During the ceremony, the new Queen will be officially welcomed by the royal guards, palace chiefs, and royal staff, representing the Yoruba monarch.

On Saturday, the Ooni of Ife formally received his wife, Olori Opeoluwa Elizabeth Akinmuda in line with customs and traditions of the Ife Kingdom known as a source of the entire Oduduwa race worldwide.

The two-day event which started with the historic arrival of the queen at the palace at about 8:pm on Friday in the company of her parent, family members, and friends.

The ceremonies continued on Saturday, starting with a brief Thanksgiving service held at 11 am and 12 midday inside the palace’s banquet room. Following the service, there was a two-hour recess to allow for other rites to take place.

The highlight of the day was the reception party and entertainment of guests, which took place in the main hall of the palace and extended throughout the day.

To initiate the proceedings, the queen was guided into the palace by a group of women, with the assistance of the Ooni’s traditional aides known as ‘Emese Ooni.’

They led her to the Sacred “Yemoolu Well,” where she performed her first assignment as an Ooni’s wife. She was also told a brief history of a former Ooni queen named “Yemoolu,” who transformed into the sacred well.

The water from this well has since become a vital resource for the Ooni and the palace, used for drinking and other essential purposes.

Following the Yemoolu rites, the Queen was escorted to the official residence of the Ooni. There, she was met by the waiting Ife high chiefs and Iyalodes, led by The Lowa Adimula of Ife, High Chief Adekola Adeyeye, who bestowed traditional prayers upon her.

They officially welcomed her into the Ile-Oodua (palace). Subsequently, her father handed her over to the Olori Agba (most senior wife) in the Ogunwusi Royal family, Olori Margret Ogunwusi.

Olori Margret Ogunwusi then passed her on to Olori Mariam Anako, accompanied by Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi.

The Ooni of Ife, accompanied by his other queens, warmly received the new Queen as she made her way into the palace.

Having been received by her the Ooni, Queen Elizabeth was made to sit beside her husband as the rites continued till about 10 pm before she was finally led to her residence.

Photos and videos circulating on social media shows the elegant procession of the new Queen as she was gracefully ushered into the palace by women belonging to the royal household.

See the photos below:

Watch the videos below:

This wedding follows the Ooni of Ife’s recent marriage to his sixth wife, Princess Temitope Adesegun, which was held at Magodo Phase 2, Shangisha, Lagos State.