‘It was comedic remark, not a title’ — Ooni clarifies Baba Ijesha’s chieftaincy claim
‘It was comedic remark, not a title’ — Ooni clarifies Baba Ijesha’s chieftaincy claim
Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, has addressed claims that he conferred a chieftaincy title on Olanrewaju Omiyinka, the Nigerian actor popularly known as Baba Ijesha.
On Friday, the controversial actor shared a photo of himself and his wife kneeling before the monarch, claiming he had been bestowed with the chieftaincy title ‘Baba Awada Konge Oduwa’, which translates to Father of Comedy Meets Oduduwa.
Baba Ijesha also claimed the Ooni gifted him a car.
In a statement signed by Moses Olafare, the Ooni’s director of media and public affairs, shared on Facebook, Ooni denied conferring any chieftaincy title on the actor.
The monarch explained that the phrase “Awada Konge Oduwa” was merely a humorous remark recognising Baba Ijesha’s contribution to comedy and was never intended to be a traditional title.
He said that although the actor could be considered for a chieftaincy title in the future, no such honour was bestowed during his visit.
He added that chieftaincy titles in Ile Ife can only be conferred through established traditional procedures, none of which took place during Baba Ijesha’s visit.
“The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Ile-Ife remains a sacred traditional process governed by established customs, consultations and traditional rites, which are publicly conducted in accordance with the age-long traditions of the source. None of these customary procedures took place during the actor’s visit to the Palace,” he said.
The monarch further disclosed Baba Ijesha was only given a car and cash gifts as a gesture of “fatherly love and royal generosity” to celebrate the birth of his son.
The actor and his wife, who is the CEO of Luminee Couture Limited, recently welcomed a new child shortly after his release from prison.
Baba Ijesha regained his freedom in November 2025 after serving his sentence for his 2022 conviction by a Lagos High Court on charges of indecent treatment of a child and sexual assault.
Although he was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment, the terms ran concurrently, resulting in about five years behind bars.
