The Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, who spoke at his Ile-Oodua palace in Ile-Ife last weekend while welcoming Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s Lagos State President, Solomon Ogbonna, who had accompanied the African Farmers And Cultural Organization delegation on a courtesy visit to the palace as a member, said the Igbos and the Yorubas had historical ties. The historic ties between the Igbos and Yorubas make them inseparable members of the same family, according to the Ooni of Ife. At the meeting, he said;
“I am so happy to have the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State President here as part of this empowerment initiative. Lagos is part of Yoruba land, we are all one, we are all the same. The history is there, the facts are there, and we should actually put this fact out. Why are we fighting?”
“This is your root. I said it recently, some of our Yoruba kinsmen with ignorance of our history came out with nugatory beratement of my position on the family ties between Yoruba and Igbo people. We have to say the truth and the truth must set us all free, we are blood brothers. We should be inseparable. Please feel at home in Yorubaland and respect your Yoruba brothers and sisters too.”
“We still have House of Igbo right in this palace till date. We call it Ile Igbo up till now. Our ancestors are buried and transfigured there. That is where kola nut was first discovered and nurtured. The Igbos are still the biggest consumers and users of kola nut which is only planted in Yorubaland till date. Can the Igbos do without kola nut? ” The ancient Igbo house is one of the most sacred places in this palace till date. One of my brother kings – Aka Arogundabi from Iremo quarters saw the mysteries of house of Igbo (Aka-ri-Igbo). Till date, Akarigbo of Remoland still sees the house of Igbo as a common heritage of his forebears,” the Ooni explained.
