EXCLUSIVE:
Ooni of IFE suffers Exhaustion in America ..Shuns Last Minute Appearance at Egbe Omo Yoruba USA Forum in Dallas
*“Most unfortunate that His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife could not join us for Egbe Omo Yoruba USA in Dallas”-Kolawole Ayodele-Oja, Organizer, Egbe Omo Yoruba USA
*How Ooni of Ife Dispatched Three Representatives to Ceremony in Dallas
*Nigerian Undergraduate Community in Texas Hail Event as Successful
*“Scheduling change occurred very unexpectedly, I would have notified reporters of the Ooni of Ife’s change in plans”-Tom Pragano, American Media Consulting firm in charge of press affairs
*Monarch Represents Nigeria at State Department, United Nations HQ, Receives Award in DC
*Dr. Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, Plus 90 Dignitaries Depart JFK Airport to Nigeria
BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/CNNiReport Journalist North America
IT was true that Americans from all walks of life were shocked and surprised to have seen a first -class Nigerian Royal Monarch been honoured in style, elegance, royalty, splendour in a state-motorcade on the soil of United States of America. He is intelligent, educated, humble, a lover of tradition, upholder of customs and God-fearing personality. His name is Dr. Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife, the Spiritual leader of the Yoruba Kingdom. American people and the nation of United States enjoyed every bit of his 14 day tight schedule from New York to New Jersey, Philadelphia to Washington DC, State Department to White House.
Ooni of Ife’s compact schedule going by the reported itinerary of his United States Royal tour, began with familiarization trip on June 10 and eventually ended June 24 with a Peace Ambassador Awards Dinner at the Howard University, Washington, DC, since that would be first time a Nigerian Royal Monarch and title holder would be so celebrated elaborately. But the absenteeism of Ooni of Ife from been physically present in a historic ceremony in Texas, the state with highest number of Nigerian population in United States created a mixed-feeling among Nigerians as this seem to have literally smeared the highly celebrated American trip of the Royal Monarch.
Ooni of IFE suffers Exhaustion in America
Undercover investigation revealed that the Ooni of Ife who arrived United States with 90 dignitaries and eminent personalities with the sole intentions of showcasing the rich Nigerian culture and drawing foreign investors into Osun State, Ile Ife particularly suffered serious ‘Exhaustion’ towards the end of these many various tightly-packaged trips and he was advised by few medical experts that heading to Dallas, Texas at that point in time to attend a much-publicized ceremony of the Egbe Omo Yoruba USA DFW/Forth Worth that held on June 25, Saturday may impact negatively on his health as he had hardly taken a deserved rest.
This correspondent gathered that the Ooni of Ife had hoped he would be physically present, but with health as an issue due to ‘excessive tiredness as a result of exhaustion’, just few hours to the ceremony, same day ordered three top Nigerian personalities to represent him in the already-filled Oduduwa Hall, Pioneer Event Center, 1025 West Pioneer Parkway, Grand Prairie, Texas, 75051.
The questions in minds of most Nigerian community were: Why did the Ooni of Ife not earlier inform the ceremony organizer in Dallas that he would not be physically present since everyone of the invitees came purposely to see Ooni of Ife? Why was there communication breakdown between Media Directorates of Ooni of Ife with the event organizer in Texas? Why did Ooni of Ife not slow down his earlier activities so as to be physically present in Texas to see first-hand millions of Nigerians who passionately cherish his creativity, hardwork, resilience and insistence of bringing foreign investors into Osun State. The questions are endless.
In an exclusive interview with Tom Pragano, boss Mostrata Media Consulting Services, an American based media consulting company handling the Ooni of Ife’s press activities in Texas, he explained earlier that : “Here is the media advisory and agenda for the two-day Yoruba conference in Dallas next weekend, June 25. Ayo Fasoro will be on site, and will be able to arrange the one-on-one interviews with anyone you might want to talk with, especially Economist Dr. Benjamin Akande, president of Westminster College, Fulton, MO, Dr. Toyin Falola, of the University of Texas – Austin, and The paramount monarch, the King of the Yoruba people, the Oni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty (HIM) Dr. Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11. We’re looking forward to your coverage in the Naija Standard, which is very impressive. I’m happy to discuss at your earliest convenience. Thank you!”
“Scheduling change occurred very unexpectedly, I would have notified reporters of the Ooni of Ife’s change in plans”-Tom Pragano, American Media Consulting firm
Much later, same Saturday, June 25 few hours to the Dallas ceremony, it was obvious the Ooni of Ife would no longer be able to physically make it down to Dallas from New York where he had lodged for health reasons, we made contact with Tom, and he replied: “Scheduling change occurred very unexpectedly and at the last-minute, I do not want it to negatively impact our relationship moving forward. As you know, I was not on-site, and had I been there, I would have personally notified you and other reporters of the Ooni of Ife’s change in plans.”
“We were certainly Disappointed”-Organizer, Egbe Omo Yoruba USA
Also, Tom facilitated response for us from Kolawole Ayodele-Oja, organizer of Egbe Omo Yoruba USA, the later confirmed the health status of the Ooni of Ife which was tied to ‘Exhaustion’ : “In response to your questions, it is most unfortunate that His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, could not join us for Egbe Omo Yoruba USA in Dallas due to exhaustion as the result of his extensive meetings and travel here in the United States during much of June.
“We were notified late Saturday afternoon by phone that – regrettably — he would not be able to join us. But, he did send three representatives in his place to deliver his important remarks. While we were certainly disappointed, we fully understood.
“Importantly, Egbe Omo Yoruba, which was hosted by our Dallas/Fort Worth chapter, was scheduled to be held with or without his engagement. We had held excellent meetings and had some fantastic keynote speakers, so it was a very successful economic summit.
“As the organizer of Egbe Omo Yoruba, I am not aware of any anger within our Yoruba community – certainly not in the Dallas Metroplex — regarding the Ooni of Ife’s visit to Washington D.C., New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. He was busy representing our people and our interests during meetings at the State Department and UN, received an award in Washington D.C., participated in other important gatherings, and attended Yoruba events in various U.S. Communities.”
Highpoint of the Ooni of Ife’s American tour was when the Monarch represents Nigeria at State Department and United Nations Headquarters after which he was conferred a ‘Peace Ambassador ‘ in a Dinner at the Howard University, Washington, DC.
Though in all the cities he visited in America with his 90 dignitaries, the Ooni of Ife was always given either the key to the city, followed by an award or either the city or an award. This correspondent tried reaching out to Yera Moses Olafare, Director Media to the Ooni of Ife to speak to us directly when the Monarch had ‘Exhaustion’, and how he was able to brace all odds and visited 14 states in America back-to-back without a single rest; but Ooni’s Media Director, a professional security expert who graduated from the Institute of Security in Nigeria (ISN) Lagos refused to acknowledge our inquiry, messages, even after repeatedly asking him.”
Ooni of Ife in company of his 90 dignitaries left JFK International Airport, New York to Lagos yesterday, Monday June 27, 2016. If not for the ‘Exhaustion’ suffered by the Ooni of Ife which made him had health issues and shunned Dallas ceremony, his arrival, activities and departure would have gone down as the best adventure ever embarked upon by any Royal Monarch from Nigeria.
Nigerian Community in Texas Hail Texas Event as Successful
Representing Nigerian undergraduate community in America, Yemi Oreola, an undergraduate of University of Maryland who flew to Dallas from his Baltimore home in Maryland purposely to meet the Ooni of Ife at the Dallas ceremony explained: “I want to use this medium to thank Egbe Omo Yoruba USA for the successful ceremony which held in Dallas. Every speech made that night was superb, even though I did not see the Ooni of Ife whom many of us had come to see. We had wanted to collect his autograph as the greatest Monarch from Nigeria to have visited and been highly honoured here in United States.”
Ooni of Ife American Schedule (below)
June 10, 2016
Press Conference & Global Iamness Lioness Economic & Empowerment Summit “Unleashing Your Roar 2016”, at the UN, New York
June 11, 2016
Ooni’s Grand Reception, Ukrainian Cultural Center, New Jersey
June 12, 2016
Odunde Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 13, 2016
Museum of Contemporary African Diasporian Art (MoCADA), New York
June 15, 2016
Symposium at Howard University, Washington, DC
June 16-18, 2016
Oduduwa Economic Development/Transformation Leadership Summit 2016 & Awards Dinner, Gaylord Hotels, National Harbor, Maryland
June 21-22, 2016
State Department & White House Briefing & Reception
June 23, 2016
Forums & Reception US Congress Captol Hill
June 24, 2016
Peace Ambassador Awards Dinner at the Howard University, Washington, DC
