ROYAL REVERENCE: Ooni Of Ife Declares Catholic Bishops’ Voices Hold The Power To Shape A Continent!
ILE-IFE, NIGERIA — In a historic meeting blending ancient tradition with profound faith, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, opened the doors of his sacred ancestral palace to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), issuing a stirring tribute to the church’s fierce commitment to humanity.
The extraordinary courtesy visit took place amid the bishops’ Second Plenary Assembly, hosted by the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo. Led by CBCN President and Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the delegation boasted some of the nation’s most prominent spiritual leaders, including John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Peter Cardinal Okpaleke, Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev. Michael Francis Crotty, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
Receiving the clerics in the cradle of Yoruba civilization, the Ooni—who serves as Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria—emphasized that the moral authority of Nigeria’s Catholic leadership carries unmatched weight across Africa.
“Thank you for coming to Ife, where it all began,” the Ooni proclaimed. “In our country, we don’t joke with bishops. Their voices are very powerful; anything you say, the entire country and even the continent usually feel it.”
Reflecting warmly on his own upbringing within a Catholic community, the monarch lauded the clergy’s rigorous discipline, organization, and self-sacrificing dedication to advocating for the vulnerable.
Responding to the royal welcome, Archbishop Ndagoso expressed deep reverence for the throne of the Ooni, calling it a vital custodian of history, identity, and cultural heritage. He praised the monarch’s tireless efforts in championing national unity, youth empowerment, and peace across deep religious and ethnic divides.
Yet, the historic meeting was not merely one of ceremonial pleasantries. Standing inside the royal palace, Archbishop Ndagoso issued a resounding battle cry for the soul of the nation, explicitly demanding that Nigerians fiercely reject vote-buying and stand up for transparent, credible elections.
With Nigeria facing a gauntlet of systemic crises—including severe economic hardship, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity—the CBCN President insisted that the government, religious bodies, and traditional institutions must forge an unbreakable alliance to protect the youth, heal broken families, and combat rampant criminality.
The high-profile visit concluded with powerful prayers led by the bishops for the Ooni’s long life and wisdom, sealing a mutual vow between the crown and the cross to fight for the peace and survival of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
